As lieutenant colonel of the 2^nd Rhode Island (Sullivan Ballou’s regiment), Wheaton saw action at First Manassas and the Peninsula. He served in the Wilderness, against Jubal Early’s attack on Washington, D.C. in 1864, and in the siege of Petersburg.

Signature on official stationery: “Jany. 18, 1864 . . .F. Wheaton, Bvt. Major Genl., U.S.V…” to Captain George W. Adams, regarding “…your application endorsed by Genl. Sheridan, Genl. Wright…”.

Maj. Sullivan Ballou became famous in Civil War lore for the poignant letter he reportedly wrote to his wife, Sarah, a few days before he was mortally wounded. The missive was celebrated in Ken Burns' watershed PBS Civil War series.  Ballou was 32 at the time of his death at the first Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861.

Included with the item is a transcript of Wheaton’s after action report from the Official Records dated July 23, 1861, in which he describes Ballou’s death:  “….while bravely assisting in changing the position of our center, was struck from his horse by a ball from a rifled cannon, and also left unconscious and dying.”

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