Civil War letter, 1862.

ArchivalResource

Owen, Thomas R., d.1862. Civil War letter, 1862.

Civil War letter, 1862.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/122567801

Letter, dated Sept. 2, from Thomas Owen to his father Reuben. Although the year of the letter is not included on the letter, family tradition and the type of action mentioned in the letter indicate that the letter was written in 1862. In the letter Owen writes how much he misses his family and adds that he hopes they will write to him soon. He mentions experiencing artillery fire during a fight on the Potomac. He then writes that he anticipates a "big fite" at Arlington Heights in a few days and at that time he hopes to make every bullet count. He asks for news from home and wants to know if he will be able to hold onto land that he "entered" before he joined the army. He also expresses fear about his fate but adds that he remembers that there "is on[e] that can save." He also writes about sickness in the camp and gives details about the food that they have to eat. The letter is especially poignant because Thomas Owen appears to be barely literate. The view he gives of the war is of a common foot soldier who is homesick, but determined to continue fighting for the Confederate States of America.

1 item.

Alabama Department of Archives and History