Letters from Owen Jones – Letter 1 – February 5th 1863 (Edited Transcript)

Dear Mother, Brothers and Sisters,
I received your letter in 12 days after it was written. I was very sorry to hear about the death of dear father but death is a thing we can’t get clear of and I hope we are all prepared for it.
In regard to this war you have mentioned in your letter, I know it is a terrible thing. But the cause of this war is slavery. The Southern States hold slaves and the Northern don’t and the North wants to free them. But the Southern part want to extend their territories to have more and want to be a nation by themselves and the North won’t agree to it.

And both sides are very stiff. The North has about 100,000 men in the field and a large navy beside and a great many of them iron clad, that is vessels a shot won’t hurt. Our losses are large on both sides but a great many of them have died of sickness. But the English people seem to be on the South’s side and they help them all they can with all kinds of implements of war but the North has taken a great many prizes of all kind. But there is one called the Alabama, a Privateer, which has been fitted out by some of the English government but if that is the case, the English have to pay for all damage she has done.

She is a steamer of about 1,000 tons but the North will have her before long. But we don’t feel much of the war in the North here yet. All business is good. But the cotton cloth is very high. Cloth yard ¼ wide 30 [cents] per yard when it used to be 8 cents per yard and I should like to know what it is worth with you or how much has it risen in one year. I hope you don’t think I am very near this war the distance between here and the nearest fighting is eight hundred 800 miles. But out South the people are suffering very hard. But the North hasn’t accomplished much yet. But I think they will put this rebellion down. A million men
Mr Joseph Jones, Glybcoed, Llangwenllwyfo near Amlwch, Anglesey, North Wales, England

ought to do something. But I hope there will be peace made by compromise before long. If we don’t feel this war there is a great many who do. I think that men are going to be scarce this Spring coming. I had charge of a Schooner called the Avon last Summer. I had 8 men with me and my boy, 10 in all. But the men were plenty last summer. I have four men shipped already We will start on May. I started on 12 of May last summer and I did tip top. I have got charge of another one this winter called the EB Phillip this is only 50 tons burden and the Avon 85 tons burden. I am getting along very well, thank God.