Civil War letter 118th Ohio Welsh love letter


Civil War letter 118th Ohio Welsh love letter

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Civil War letter 118th Ohio Welsh love letter:
$100.00


Tommy Owens Soldier Letter118th Ohio, Co. F
WOUNDED 12/16/64 at Nashville, TNDIED from his wounds on 12/18/64
• GREAT WELSH LOVE LETTER to his CARIAD (Welsh for Darling, Sweetheart)
• Tommy was a strong Christian - Extremely spiritual letter
• Top of letter: “This is Yours Only”
Written on November 26, 1862 from Kiser Station, KY while guarding threat to Cincinnati from Morgan’s raiders. Thomas R Owens was from Wales and lived in a Welsh community in Ohio.
He addresses the letter’s recipient as “Cariad” which is Welsh for “Darling, Sweetheart.” He would never see his sweetheart again! Letter is fully transcribed and researched.
Thomas R. Owens, belonged to Company F, 118th Regiments of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered in 1862 & killed in action in 1864. They were stationed in Ky for a time to guard against Morgan’s raiders and threats to Cinti. He was from Wales and part of a Welsh community in Ohio. Some of the letters are in Welsh. The part below is some background information and history on Tommy Owens.  
This letter is from a wonderful collection of over 50 Civil War letters written by various members of Company F, 118th Regiments of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. They are addressed to Dr. R.E. Jones at Gomen, Allen Co., Ohio. The majority of the letters are addressed to \"Cariad\", a Welsh term meaning Sweetheart/Dear/Lover and written by Tommy R. Owens.
Thomas R. Owens was mustered into the Army on August 22, 1862 and died from wounds on December 8, 1864. Tommy\'s letters discuss his love for \"Cariad\", his grief over the loss of his two sisters to scarlet fever, opinions of the Kentucky area and residents, and occurrences such as 22 mile marches, being near starvation on half rations, deserters, court-martials and his opinions on politics and the war. \"I would love peace as well as anyone, but I want that peace founded on the principle of one union, one constitution, and one national Flag - the Star Spangled Banner\".Items of interest discussed in this group of letters are political and racial views, capturing \"Rebels\", illnesses, hardships, losses, reports of the missing, skirmishes and battles, etc. Notable figures mentioned are Burnside, McClellan, Morgan\'s Raiders, General Bayard, \"Rebel Jiff\" and \"Old Abe\". Areas of interest, skirmishes and battles fought include the Paris, Cynthiana and Louisville, Kentucky area; Covington, Kentucky; Cincinnati, Ohio; Lima, Ohio; Mt. Sterling, Kentucky; Kingston, Tennessee; Knoxville, Tennessee; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Fredericksburg; Atlanta, Georgia; etc. These letters are all from the same estate.
The top of the letter says ‘This is Yours Only’ I think he probably mailed letters to RE Jones along with letters to possibly Jones daughter who was his ‘Cariad.’ A lot of envelopes were addressed RE Jones but the only letters that survived or were kept were his to her.
FULL TRANSCRIPTION:
\"‘This is Yours Only’
Kiser Station, Ky.Nov. 26th 1862Oh! Cariad, Cariad, Cariad,
I have to use the pen and ink once more as the means through which to relate to my dearest Cariad my feelings since our recent departure. I received your most Cariadlaun letter written at the respective dates of Nov. 17th, Nov. 18th and 21st. Oh Cariad Annyl. I can not express my feelings to you with paper and ink, how I felt while reading your kind letter last night. Indeed C—it made me feel very sad, although it was filled with words and sentences of true and pure love, written as they were felt by a true and warm heart every word containing love. Yes it was overflowing with love’s pure thoughts, and I know Annyl. C—d that you felt precisely as you have written. Yes Cariad, you felt very bad (I know) after we parted with each other before the store, the place where we were so frequently together, as friends. Yes Cariad, more than friends, true lovers were we not Dear C? I imagine that I can see you (almost) saying, Yes and I am sure that if you were here we would prove it, through the actions of love, prompting us to embrace one another. O! that you were here now my Dearest, although it is but a short time yet, since we were together, yet to those that love each other, as we do, it already seems long. --- Yes C. I also know (by experience) that you felt bad while writing to me, although it may have relieved your mind to some extent, by endeavoring to express your thoughts to me. We should be thankful for the opportunities that we have, to hear from each other, but Cariad Annyl, this will bear no comparison with the pleasure and enjoyments that we enjoyed in times past. (Will it C?) But while we are thus deprived of each others company for the present, let us look forward with Hope to the Future, and Pray to God, that he may protect us both and if it be His will that I may yet return. O Cariad, continue to pray for me, that I may lead a more Holy and religious life, that I may be kept from all temptations, that I am surrounded with, but pray that I may have power to resist them all. Cariad, I find myself guilty, as a member of church, in not showing a better example, but I have a desire to lead a better life, and often try to pray to God for power and grace to live a better life. One thing I should be very thankful for, is the blessing of health, that I enjoy. O’ Cariad, that we may both live in such a manner that let Death come where and when it may, that we may be ready at all times.
Cariad I somehow think that I will be protected and that I shall yet return and that before a long time. Dear Cariad, if I knew that I would not return before 3 years it would break my heart but in some manner I think I shall return sooner.--- Well Cariad, I have felt very bad since my return and indeed I continue so. Nothing seems to give any pleasure. I have been by myself weeping many times. Since I saw you O my Annylas Cariad, I wish I was with you – while reading your letter last night about 6 o’clock. O’ Cariad, I felt bad, the tears filled my eyes, while reading it, thinking that the hand that I grasped so tight, failing almost to let it go, had written those heartfelt words. It reminded me of you anew and O C - I could not sleep well after reading. But C – Annyl. There is nothing to do now but write as often as we can, which I know we will do. O C—I have no one here to tell my mind to, as I did to you all that I can do is to write it to you. No one to hug and kiss as we did Sunday night, Nov. 16th/62. I often, often think of you my Dear Cariad. Well I must offer goodbye once more, while I remain your Cariad, truer than ever. Tommy\"

Civil War letter 118th Ohio Welsh love letter:
$100.00

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