Searching for John Ball: A Father and Daughters' Inspiring Journey Researching the Life and Letters of a Civil War Soldier

When a father and daughter rediscover a forgotten packet of letters bound by a single leather cord, they begin to unravel the life of a remarkable ancestor and Civil War soldier. As they research the life of John Ball, they meet a range of interesting characters - from Civil War buffs to die-hard ancestral researchers. They visit the genealogy room of Flower Memorial Library in Watertown, New York, and climb the stairs of the dilapidated farmhouse where John grew up and where he returned to die at age 39 after a noteworthy life. As they translate the letters, a Boston archivist helps to decipher the fading handwriting with a giant magnifier. A picture finally emerges of a war-torn soldier who fought in 22 battles. One of the first to enlist in the Union Army in 1861 with the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, his regiment has been credited with turning the tide of the war at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, when it was ordered to charge a much larger oncoming Confederate force. The suicide mission resulted in 82 percent casualties to the regiment. After surviving a near-fatal wound at Bristoe Station, he went on to command the 11th Minnesota Regiment in Tennessee. "Searching for John Ball" contains over 60 insightful Civil War-era letters. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in documenting family history and the lives of Civil War soldiers.