Civil War Letters from Thomas E Owen to Elijah G Owen

(As an aside, if you are an Owen’s descendant or know who gave this to Linda, please get in touch!)

This led to the gigantic puzzle that is Thomas Owen. Thomas had an elaborate obituary, chock full of details about his early life. He was the eldest son of Oscar Owen and Mary Edwards, born in Chester on April 28, 1834, and worked on his father’s farm there. Research into the Owen farm showed they were fairly well-off, dealing primarily in dairy and corn; Thomas’ father, Oscar, was also a well-known auctioneer throughout Orange County for a time. At some point, Thomas ventured to Binghamton to learn carpentry and painting while attending night school, as well.

The specifics of where he was living when he made the decision or why Thomas chose to apply to be a Hawkins’ Zouave is beyond my knowledge, but there were articles all through New York newspapers hyping up the Zouave recruitment efforts and how their Colonel Rush C. Hawkins was looking for skilled or mechanical minded young men under the age of thirty-five; not everyone was chosen and those who were faced rigorous training and drilling. Thomas was 27 when he enlisted on August 7, 1861, for a two-year term. As a private in Hawkins’ Zouave of Company E in the 9^th New York, Thomas was present at some hefty engagements: the battle of Roanoke, the battle of Camden, the battle of South Mountain, and Antietam. (The 9^th NY’s battle history can be found here.)  Thomas was discharged due to disability on October 15, 1862, in Philadelphia, PA, with “pleuro pneumonia.”

Less than a month later on November 21, 1862, Thomas enlisted in Company H of the 103^rd New York aka the “Seward Infantry” for a three-year term. Thomas would soon find himself rubbing elbows with members of the 124^th NY “Orange Blossoms” at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. (An Orange Blossom, Thomas W. Bradley, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Fredericksburg; he would become a US Representative and be instrumental in getting Thomas’s widow her pension.) Following Fredericksburg, Thomas participated in the disastrous Mud March offensive in January 1863 before the Siege of Suffolk from April 12 to May 4, 1863. (The 103rd NY’s battle history is here.)

Thomas’ first letter home was written on April 30^th 1863, while in Suffolk, VA. (Click to enlarge images.)

Suffolk, VA
April 30th, 1863

Brother Elisha,
I received a letter from you last Evening which gave me great pleasure to read for it was the first one that I ever remember of receiving from you. I hope that your face has got better by this time, so that you can swallow. you wrote that you were ploughing for Corn where you going to to put corn this year, how many acres? you wrote that Sarah Jane Cooley was dead but you did not say what was the matter with her. you wanted to know how long I was going to stay here, I will stay Just as long as the war lasts because I am working for the benefit of this once happy Country & intend to help restore it back again as near the old standard as possible. You wrote that mad Dogs are plenty around there we
have worse than that down here for we have got mad Longstreet & about 50,000 mad rebels around here, they have been prowling around here over 3 weeks & want to come in, but our folks says they aint good looking. I did not eat Eggs on Easter Sunday for Eggs was 40¢ pr doz. & none to be had at that price. I offered 75¢ pr Doz. But could not get any so I had to do without. I received a letter from
Uncle Henry [at the] same time with yours, but it was written On the 26th & yours the 23d he said that they were all well. [The] weather here [is] very pleasant now for we have rain [illegible]

I suppose that this blood war will close up before the first of July because one of the men on Guard the other night fell asleep & the Corporal came along to see that things were all right & found old Mr Boy fast asleep & could hardly waken him up, when he woke up he said that he had been Dreaming the Corporal asked him what he was dreaming about & he said that he dreamped that he would be Shot the next day at 4 P.M. & that the War would be settled & Peace Declared in 2 months. some of it has come true for the next day at precisely 4 [o’clock] one of the rebs shot him as dead as a door nail stone dead, & now to make it all come out true, peace must be Declared about the 25th of June. I heard in some of your letters that Uncle Elisha was Dead. have you heard any particulars? let me knows & let me know where Jo has gone & how Mr. Thorp is all the rest of the folks around there, & who is working in the house & all the news. hoping this to find you all well & will close. Give my love & respect to all the family & all enquiring friends. I am enjoying excellent health.

Yours Truly as Ever
Thomas E. Owen

To Elisha G. Owen, Blooming Grove

Address Thomas E. Owen
Care [of] Lieut. Hugo Engel, Quarter Master Orange County
1st Brig, 3rd Divis, 9th A.C New York

Thomas’ obituary says he was at the three days of battle at Gettysburg but that doesn’t correlate with his service cards nor the regimental battle history here that says the 103^rd was taking part in Dix’s Peninsula Campaign from June 24 to July 7^, 1863, which included an “expedition from White House [plantation] to South Anna River” from July 1-7.  Unless you count the Peninsula Campaign as part of the Gettysburg battles… which, I guess might be in a roundabout sort of way considering it was an offensive push to take the Confederate capital of Richmond at the same time as Gettysburg, but it wasn’t actually taking place on the battlefields of Gettysburg either. 

Regardless, Thomas’ second letter home was dated June 28, 1863, and sent from Portsmouth, VA, where he was on detached service by the Brigade’s Quartermaster in camp. His service card for this period reflects the same. (Click to enlarge images.)

near Portsmouth VA
June 28th 1863

Dear Brother, “Elisha,”
Yours of the 14th is at hand I received it on the 18th. I was very glad to hear from You and hear that you were all well. I received a Letter from Josie and one from Uncle Henry the Same time with yours, they were all well and Kicking. I answered Josies the Same day and Uncle Henrys today with yours, most all the Troops have left here and gone on the Road to Richmond. I heard from them yesterday they were within 9 miles of Richmond and Still advancing so I suppose the Next News we get, is that Richmond is taken For you Know that Holland is Occupied by the Dutch, glory Hallelujah Amen! Our Brigade has gone but I did not go along for I am in the Adjutant Generals Office in this Brigade and I had to stay to take Charge of Head Quarters wasnt I glad to get out of the Wilderness, although
I would like very well to go to Richmond if I could Only go without raising a muss, the Patriotism
is just about Knocked out of me, for I have been in just 12 Good Squair [square] fights whis [which] is plenty for this Kind of Warfare and my Appetite is rather Stale for to relish anything more of the Kind. you can count me out when there is any fighting going on hereafter We have been 36 days without rain and last Thursday it commenced and has not thought much about stoping

Everything is very high here just now, Butter 51¢ Cheese 50¢ Eggs 40¢ Milk 15¢ pr qt. and every thing else in proportion. I had New Potatoes for dinner on the 20th of this Month they were as large as a hen Eggs. I have no further News to tell you except that I am well and feel like a Buck. Hopings this to find you all well as it leaves me I will close. Give my love and Best respects to all the family.
Write Soon and let me Know what you are doing. I wish you all a Merry Fourth of July, I will not
enjoy it much this year but would like for those to enjoy it that are at liberty to do so. Good bye.

Yours Truly as Ever
Thos E. Owen
Care [of] John E. Shephard
A.A.A. General
Orange County 1st Brig 3rd Divis 9th A.C
New York Near Norfolk, VA

To Elisha G. Owen
Blooming Grove

In late July/Early August, the 103^rd is ordered further south and participated in the Bombardment of Fort Sumter, captured Fort Wagers and Greg, and are sent to duty on Folly Island, South Carolina where they sort of hover into 1864. In May 1865, Thomas was discharged again on disability but this time it was for “chronic synovitis” which was caused by a fall that happened while on duty. It’s inflammation in the connective tissue in the knee joint space that causes pain with movement and it’s easily treatable today with anti-inflammatory meds, steroid injections, physical therapy, etc., but back then, what good was a soldier with a bum knee?

Thomas’ story takes a weird couple of turns here, so rather than make this an extraordinarily long post, we’ll continue Thomas’ story tomorrow and dive further into his additional enlistment in the 81st NY and discuss the baffling findings in his pension file. Stay tuned for more later!