HAPP 15

Sullivan Ballou

H: Major Sullivan is writing a letter to his wife regarding the Civil War and how he may not make it back. He has been suffering with the amount of food given and the military efforts he has put in for winning in the war. He was fighting in the civil war and ensuring his soliders were ready for battle, in which the Civil War was one of the most violent and brutal wars the country ever had.

P(Purpose): Major Sullivan wrote this letter to his wife to inform her that he will always love her and no matter what, he will never stop fighting for her. He explains that she is the reason he still exists and how his love for her is unconditional and will never stop. Major Sullivan even wants to inform his wife of the many problems and faults that he caused.

• Major Sullivan was a soldier and leader in the Union Army for the Civil War, but he also had many other great obligations, like being a lawyer and a politician, because he possessed strong leadership skills.

• Major Sullivan had a wife who he loved very much, but he admits to committing some faults, because he is foreshadowing his confession.

We can infer that from this letter from Major Sullivan to his wife Sarah Ballou is that he is going to die. He mentions that he committed sins or had some wrongs and when he mentions this to Sarah, he mentions that his death is inevitable, as a result that the Civil War is brutal and he will die protecting his soldiers and recklessly fending off while everyone is protected.

The time period is clearly the 1860's, primarily because this is during the time of the Civil War. We can also conclude that this is the accurate time period, because a week after he wrote this letter, he passed away, and this letter was written in 1861.

One historical continuity in this exercpt is that Sullivan died a week later, because he was killed when fighting in Virginia and he ended up dying during the First Battle of Bull Run, which initiatied or kick-started the American Civil War.