Those who have watched Ken Burns documentary of the Civil War which sometimes I refer to as the chick flick of the WBTS might remember the name of Major Sullivan Ballou of the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry who was killed at 1st Manassas. Ken Burns thought one of his last letters home to his wife was so romantic and patriotic that he kept the letter in his wallet and read the letter on the television show.

Find A Grave Memorial# 1800 has a photograph and his tombstone but was it Sullivan Ballou whose ashes it was? Probably so but here is the newspaper article from the Louisville Democrat dated about March 25, 1862 and they carried this story from the Herald's Dispatch and the origin of the newspaper is unknown to me.

"HEARLD'S DISPATCH- The party which ____? here on Tuesday to look for the remains of Col. Slocum, Major Ballou and Capt. _____? (In the compiler's opinion he was Captain Levi Tower of Company F of 2nd Rhode Island Infantry based on occasional letters of the surname) of the 2d Rhode Island regiment, killed at Bull Run, returned this morning, bringing their remains. The party was composed of Governor Sprague, Colonel Arnold, Walter Coleman, his Secretary, Tristram B_____?. Lt. Col. Sayles and Captain D_____? Surgeon Queanly, of the Rhode Island cavalry, accompanied by two of the R. I. Volunteers, who had been taken prisoners at Bull Run, and had noted the place where the officers were buried.

The party arrived on Friday, at Sudley's Church. Colonel Slocum and Major Ballou were buried in the yard of a building near by , which was used as a hospital on the day of the battle (July 21, 1861) This building had been destroyed by the rebels, but the graves were found.

After they commenced to dig a negro girl inquired if they were digging to _____? the body of Colonel Slocum and states that about six weeks after the battle ______? soldiers, of a Georgia regiment, had dug _______? and cut off the head, and buried the body at the side of the run close by, and taken the coffin away to bury a dead negro in. Her story was corroborated by a white boy and a white man who lived in the neighborhood.

On reparing to the spot indicated there was found a pile of ashes and bones which were presumed to the surgeon to be human. Colonel Slocum has been buried in a box, and Major Ballou in a coffin. Upon opening the graves the box was recognized by Mr. Richardson who was present at the interment and the remains were identified as Colonel Slocum. Upon opening the other grave it was found to be empty, showing that the body had been dug up and burned by the Georgia barbarians. and was that of Major Ballou as only these two had been interred _____? yard."