Chords for Ashokan Farewell / Sullivan Ballou Letter
Tempo:
97.45 bpm
Chords used:
D
G
A
Em
Bm
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
A week before the Battle of Bull Run, Sullivan Ballou, a major in the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers,
wrote home to his wife in Smithfield.
July the 14th, 1861, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sarah,
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days, perhaps tomorrow.
And lest I should not be able to write you again,
I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I am no more.
[B] [C#] I have no misgivings about, or [Em] lack of confidence [Bm] in the cause in which I am engaged,
[D] and my courage does not halt or falter.
[E] I know how American civilization [C#m] now leans upon the triumph of the [B] government,
[F#] and how great a debt we owe to those who went [Bm] before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution.
[D] And I am willing, perfectly willing, to lay down [A] all my joys in this life
to help [D] maintain this government, and to pay that debt.
[G] [Em] Sarah, my love for [D] you is deathless.
It seems to bind me with mighty [G] cables that nothing but omnipotence [A] can break.
And yet my love [D#] of country comes over me [E] like a strong wind,
[G] and bears me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield.
[D] The memory of all the blissful [A] moments I have enjoyed with you come [D] crowding over me,
and I feel most deeply grateful to God and you [G] that I have enjoyed them for [D] so long.
And how hard it is for me to give [B] them up and burn to ashes the [A] hopes of future years,
when, God willing, [D] we might still have lived and loved [Am] together,
and see our [G] boys grown up [D] to honorable manhood around us.
If I do [Bm] not return, my dear [A] Sarah,
never [D] forget how much I loved you,
nor that when my last breath escapes [G] me on the battlefield, [Em]
[G] it will whisper your name.
[D] [Bm]
Forgive my many faults and the [A] many pains I have [D] caused you,
[F#] how thoughtless, how foolish [G] I have sometimes been.
[Em]
But, [D] oh Sarah, if the dead can come [A] back to this earth,
[Em] and flit [D] unseen around those they love,
I shall always be with you in the brightest day and the darkest night.
[G] Always.
[D]
Always.
[Bm]
And when the soft [A] breeze fans your cheek, [E] it shall be my breath.
[D] For the cool air, your throbbing [Am] temple, it shall be my [G] spirit passing by.
[D]
Sarah, do not mourn me dead.
[Em] [D] Think I am gone, and wait for me.
[C]
For we shall meet again.
[G]
[D]
[Bm] Sullivan Ballou was killed a week [Em] later at the first battle of [A] Bull Run.
[D]
wrote home to his wife in Smithfield.
July the 14th, 1861, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sarah,
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days, perhaps tomorrow.
And lest I should not be able to write you again,
I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I am no more.
[B] [C#] I have no misgivings about, or [Em] lack of confidence [Bm] in the cause in which I am engaged,
[D] and my courage does not halt or falter.
[E] I know how American civilization [C#m] now leans upon the triumph of the [B] government,
[F#] and how great a debt we owe to those who went [Bm] before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution.
[D] And I am willing, perfectly willing, to lay down [A] all my joys in this life
to help [D] maintain this government, and to pay that debt.
[G] [Em] Sarah, my love for [D] you is deathless.
It seems to bind me with mighty [G] cables that nothing but omnipotence [A] can break.
And yet my love [D#] of country comes over me [E] like a strong wind,
[G] and bears me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield.
[D] The memory of all the blissful [A] moments I have enjoyed with you come [D] crowding over me,
and I feel most deeply grateful to God and you [G] that I have enjoyed them for [D] so long.
And how hard it is for me to give [B] them up and burn to ashes the [A] hopes of future years,
when, God willing, [D] we might still have lived and loved [Am] together,
and see our [G] boys grown up [D] to honorable manhood around us.
If I do [Bm] not return, my dear [A] Sarah,
never [D] forget how much I loved you,
nor that when my last breath escapes [G] me on the battlefield, [Em]
[G] it will whisper your name.
[D] [Bm]
Forgive my many faults and the [A] many pains I have [D] caused you,
[F#] how thoughtless, how foolish [G] I have sometimes been.
[Em]
But, [D] oh Sarah, if the dead can come [A] back to this earth,
[Em] and flit [D] unseen around those they love,
I shall always be with you in the brightest day and the darkest night.
[G] Always.
[D]
Always.
[Bm]
And when the soft [A] breeze fans your cheek, [E] it shall be my breath.
[D] For the cool air, your throbbing [Am] temple, it shall be my [G] spirit passing by.
[D]
Sarah, do not mourn me dead.
[Em] [D] Think I am gone, and wait for me.
[C]
For we shall meet again.
[G]
[D]
[Bm] Sullivan Ballou was killed a week [Em] later at the first battle of [A] Bull Run.
[D]
Key:
D
G
A
Em
Bm
D
G
A
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
A week before the Battle of Bull Run, Sullivan Ballou, a major in the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers,
wrote home to his wife in Smithfield. _
July the 14th, 1861, Washington, D.C.
_ _ Dear Sarah,
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days, perhaps tomorrow.
And lest I should not be able to write you again,
I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I am no more. _ _
[B] _ [C#] I have no misgivings about, or [Em] lack of confidence [Bm] in the cause in which I am engaged,
[D] and my courage does not halt or falter. _
[E] I know how American civilization [C#m] now leans upon the triumph of the [B] government,
[F#] and how great a debt we owe to those who went [Bm] before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution.
[D] And I am willing, perfectly willing, to lay down [A] all my joys in this life
to help [D] maintain this government, and to pay that debt. _ _
_ [G] _ _ [Em] Sarah, my love for [D] you is deathless.
It seems to bind me with mighty [G] cables that nothing but omnipotence [A] can break.
And yet my love [D#] of country comes over me [E] like a strong wind,
[G] and bears me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield.
_ [D] _ _ The memory of all the blissful [A] moments I have enjoyed with you come [D] crowding over me,
and I feel most deeply grateful to God and you [G] that I have enjoyed them for [D] so long. _
_ And how hard it is for me to give [B] them up and burn to ashes the [A] hopes of future years,
when, God willing, [D] we might still have lived and loved [Am] together,
and see our [G] boys grown up [D] to honorable manhood around us.
_ _ If I do [Bm] not return, my dear [A] Sarah,
never [D] forget how much I loved you,
_ nor that when my last breath escapes [G] me on the battlefield, _ [Em]
[G] it will whisper your name.
[D] _ _ _ [Bm] _
Forgive my many faults and the [A] many pains I have [D] caused you,
_ [F#] how thoughtless, how foolish [G] I have sometimes been.
[Em] _ _
But, [D] oh Sarah, if the dead can come [A] back to this earth,
[Em] and flit [D] unseen around those they love,
I shall always be with you in the brightest day and the darkest night.
[G] Always.
_ [D]
Always.
_ _ _ _ [Bm]
And when the soft [A] breeze fans your cheek, [E] it shall be my breath.
[D] For the cool air, your throbbing [Am] temple, it shall be my [G] spirit passing by.
_ [D] _
_ _ _ _ Sarah, do not mourn me dead.
[Em] _ _ [D] Think I am gone, _ and wait for me.
[C]
For we shall meet again.
_ [G] _ _
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _
_ [Bm] Sullivan Ballou was killed a week [Em] later at the first battle of [A] Bull Run.
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _
A week before the Battle of Bull Run, Sullivan Ballou, a major in the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers,
wrote home to his wife in Smithfield. _
July the 14th, 1861, Washington, D.C.
_ _ Dear Sarah,
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days, perhaps tomorrow.
And lest I should not be able to write you again,
I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I am no more. _ _
[B] _ [C#] I have no misgivings about, or [Em] lack of confidence [Bm] in the cause in which I am engaged,
[D] and my courage does not halt or falter. _
[E] I know how American civilization [C#m] now leans upon the triumph of the [B] government,
[F#] and how great a debt we owe to those who went [Bm] before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution.
[D] And I am willing, perfectly willing, to lay down [A] all my joys in this life
to help [D] maintain this government, and to pay that debt. _ _
_ [G] _ _ [Em] Sarah, my love for [D] you is deathless.
It seems to bind me with mighty [G] cables that nothing but omnipotence [A] can break.
And yet my love [D#] of country comes over me [E] like a strong wind,
[G] and bears me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield.
_ [D] _ _ The memory of all the blissful [A] moments I have enjoyed with you come [D] crowding over me,
and I feel most deeply grateful to God and you [G] that I have enjoyed them for [D] so long. _
_ And how hard it is for me to give [B] them up and burn to ashes the [A] hopes of future years,
when, God willing, [D] we might still have lived and loved [Am] together,
and see our [G] boys grown up [D] to honorable manhood around us.
_ _ If I do [Bm] not return, my dear [A] Sarah,
never [D] forget how much I loved you,
_ nor that when my last breath escapes [G] me on the battlefield, _ [Em]
[G] it will whisper your name.
[D] _ _ _ [Bm] _
Forgive my many faults and the [A] many pains I have [D] caused you,
_ [F#] how thoughtless, how foolish [G] I have sometimes been.
[Em] _ _
But, [D] oh Sarah, if the dead can come [A] back to this earth,
[Em] and flit [D] unseen around those they love,
I shall always be with you in the brightest day and the darkest night.
[G] Always.
_ [D]
Always.
_ _ _ _ [Bm]
And when the soft [A] breeze fans your cheek, [E] it shall be my breath.
[D] For the cool air, your throbbing [Am] temple, it shall be my [G] spirit passing by.
_ [D] _
_ _ _ _ Sarah, do not mourn me dead.
[Em] _ _ [D] Think I am gone, _ and wait for me.
[C]
For we shall meet again.
_ [G] _ _
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _
_ [Bm] Sullivan Ballou was killed a week [Em] later at the first battle of [A] Bull Run.
_ _ [D] _ _ _ _ _ _ _