Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush.  Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate in Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)

Head Qrs 121^st Reg P.V.

Camp near Belle plains Virg

February 26. 1863

Dear Julia

I have written to Uncle and find I have time beloved to write a few lines to you before our mail goes out Your box was much more than I had expected, last night we had rolls for supper fresh baked and this morning eggs & honey – last night too we had Mrs Eating’s peaches which were delicious – the box was a little unfortunate, it came up from the landing having had at least one hard knock – the brandy peaches and honey were both smashed but notwithstanding were both available – dear Aleck’s figures were very sweet to me as sweet as could be for the honey had saturated them I read over your little mem and counted all his figures carefully – they promise pretty well for him hereafter your black currant jelly good for sore throat was taken by me immediately to Dr Ramsay who was abed with an attack of Quinsy – I also gave him the candy – strange he had asked me nights before if I could get him a piece of lemon candy and next day yours arrived – The great pear and the white onions were very much admired – An onion is looked upon as very good medicine in the army and something of a prophylactive I am entirely set up by what you have sent me, as comfortable as I can possibly be in such mud and weather when away from you We have had three deaths lately in our camp and I fear lest we may have another – everything seems so slow in movement in every department the want of thorough organization and then there is always somebody to decide who can know nothing but some papers The pickets are delightful. I have one of them on now having seized this morning as an occasion for a thorough ablution & change always a great comfort, I hope before long to send you a sketch of our White Camp near W.O…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.23 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28

Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush.  Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate in Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)

Transcript (excerpt):

Head Qrs 121^st Reg P.V.

Camp near Belle plains Virg

February 23^rd 1863

Dear Julia

I wrote to you on Saturday the day before yesterday from my Head Qrs on the picket line there I remained during the day there was an old man named Hansborough who is father of the wife of Lieut Herndon who explored the Amazon and died at sea sunk with his vessel – the old man lives in this vicinity and knows every body, but is looked upon by some as harmless by others as an acute old man ready to do the rebels a good turn if opportunity offers. I had been kind to the people of the house in taking out provisions with me rather than in drawing on theirs and he evidently appreciated my brandy and whiskey which I offered as there was a sick child in the house – he has however purposely said to a Capt Phillips commanding the detail of the 135^th Reg that – “the major was past redemption” – alluding I suppose to my sentiments as regards the warlike attitude the North should assume. Phillips who is as he says out and out abolitious hardly took his remark as a compliment to himself – I remained at the house and visited the line at intervals during the day – Old Hansborough I found knew a good deal about every body – he knew Acheson Wm Alexander in Texas and many whom I had heard and known I half thought him a spy…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.23 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28

Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush.  Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate in Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)

Transcript (excerpt):

Head Quarters Picket Line of

Doubleday’s Division

Saturday February 21. 1863

Dear Julia

I have this moment received your two letters of the 14^th & 17^th brought to me at Strase Hd Qrs where I am Field Officer of the Picket line of our Division with 500 men from three Regmts of out Brigade – We are here in the first Brigade, third Division, 1^st Army Corps – but Doubleday is our Division Commander and A Colonel is temporarily in charge of Brigade – We are now Brigaded with the 142^nd the 135^th and I think the 143^rd A regiment which I have not yet seen. We now post our pickets according to a new plan we make a number of posts of an officer and 36 men – 9 of whom are now commissioned – or one to every three men we post them thus. A first line of sentinels 50 yds from each other thus [diagram] Second line 200 paces in rear of first made up of posts of a Corporal and two men who relieve the posts of the first line every two hours third line comprised of a relief of 18 men 6 non commissioned officers and one commissioned officer – three reliefs supply or relieve the posts of the second line every 6 hours – each relief taking charge of their posts – it is divided into two sections of three corporals and nine men – the third line is 400 paces in rear of the second I don’t know whether this will interest you or not but I thought it would interest Uncle Harry Last night we saw three signal lights which I presume were our own but they were outside of the line and I have reported them to see what would come of it. Yesterday and today we have fine weather, it is rapidly putting the roads in good order – I think I would get Tom to Ask Captain Wrigley to give the watches ^or you could write him a note as follows so that you can send them by Hulse or Lawrie if he does not return soon – he could write him a note saying he would shortly have an opportunity by one or the other if his (Wrigley’s) health was likely to detain him longer and you can say I had written to him why they didn’t come – You want to know what I did with the rebel prisoners – one of Co A brought him to me on top of the hill he told me he had not fired a shot. I had my horse by the bridle I had dismounted among the thick trees and took his hand in my left – the men said I took him by the little finger – I asked him how far it was before we came to cleared land – what regiment Division &c was before us – all sorts of questions about locality and obstacles which I thought he might know about – all of which he answered – saying after every answer “please send me to the rear” – finally I gave him to a soldier who took him to the rear – he was a South Carolina soldier – the man laughed a great deal about my gentle method of guarding him – but neither then nor now have I indulged in any bitter feeling towards them – the rebels…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.21 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28

Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush.  Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate in Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)

Transcript:

Head Qrs 121^st Reg P.V.

Camp near Belle plains Virg

Thursday February 19. 1863

Dear Julia

I write to you after over 60 hours of rain snow and rain – the rain began last Monday afternoon next morning we had a thick snow and since that rain rain rain – last nights and yesterday we could not read a book in our house without a drop falling on the open pages and when laid down upon my bed with india rubber beneath and india rubber above the dripping from our canvas roof kept up a lovely pattering outside my covering Hall told me when I moved in the night there was a small shower from my bed – when I rose I found my shoes nicely filled with water and everything wet around us – the rain however had nearly ceased and we had but little difficulty in getting ourselves comfortable again. It is now after breakfast the 143^rd a new regiment from our state has just passed through our camp – the new regiments have suffered a good deal – though well clad they are without the necessary means of camping until their teams can bring up the equipment from Belle plains and this weather has been certainly rough – You mention that Tom Dunlap is in the 15^th or 16^th Connecticut – when you next write give me the exact number of his regiment say which it is At Camp Chase the 15^th Connecticut lay along side of us for nearly ten days – We both had drills and parades every day – I am not very anxious to hunt him up but if near at hand I might be able to get him something or other he might want We have just had new orders for picketing the work for us will be lighter hereafter since the new regiments have joined us – We hear many amusing stories of the hoaxing of the new soldiers by the old. We are told that the old Bucktails told the new troops that they would find large barracks for them with bake ovens on the ground floor which heated the soldiers quarters on second floor and a parade large enough for two regiments inside the square – One of the new men the story goes asked how far it was to the barracks and got for an answer I guess all the barracks you will see you will carry on your back…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.19 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28

Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush.  Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate in Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)       

Transcript (excerpt):

Head Quarters 121^st Reg P.V.

Camp near Belle plains Virg

February 17. 1863

Dear Julia

Today we have a heavy snow storm yesterday after returning from Genl Doubleday’s head Qrs where I report every day this week at 9 Oclock I set to work to pitch a tent close by to our log house I had it very nicely pitched with a carpet made out of small pine boughs, a rack for saddles on one side, a table for washing and writing, and a bed made out of poles and cross pieces of pine twigs. I had it all very nicely done. During the night a heavy rain fell which changed to snow – this morning early we had the ground covered with two inches of snow as well as soaked into mud underneath. Snow still falling and made as muddy as the two combined can make it this will of course put off any possibility of movement for a week or ten days – I yesterday got a letter from Uncle which I was very glad indeed to get. I had one from you speaking of Harry’s thinking you deaf for not hearing his cough. the dear little fellow always seemed to me to have a queer fancy for connecting cause and effect. You don’t know how I admire his dear little photograph which every one who sees it thinks very pretty We are now about being formed into a New Division – Roy Stone & Coister’s Regiments will constitute one brigade – Ours the 142^nd and once two regiments yet to arrive the other – the first named arrived yesterday and must be in pretty bad plight in this storm unless they are in the woods which new troops generally avoid. I am not sorry to be out of the Penn Reserve Corps – they have gone to Alexandria and I hear Heintzelman has sent one brigade out as far as Fairfax Courthouse on picket duty. We hear of some difficulty among them and I have no doubt of it for they certainly looked upon their going to Washington as the commencement of a holiday and now they are no better off than we are…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.17 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28

Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush.  Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate in Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)           

Transcript (excerpt):

Head Qrs 121^st Regiment P.V.

Camp near Belle Plains Virg.

February 15^th 1863

Dear Julia

Yesterday Saturday we broke up our quarters at the new camp near WOChurch and came where we now are about two miles from Belle plains on the edge of a ravine which runs nearly N E into Potomac Creek. On the Easterly Side of this ravine on the slopes of the hill the camps of our Division will be pitched. Ours is already made the men were last night in their New quarters – After arriving at the camp I rode over to Rush’s Cavalry as I told you and returned – towards nightfall we got orders for a mounted officer to report at Division Hd Qrs today at 9 Oclock During the night it rained almost without ceasing but did not make us uncomfortable until morning when it began to drop through our canvas roof and trickle down our walls my boots which had been prepared the night before had each about a wine glass full of water in them and it was so wet out of doors that we cooked our breakfast before our own little fire – I rode in the rain to Genl Doubleday’s who has also just moved his quarters and had a long talk with him about out Regimental Officers suitable for aids &c. He told me he thought the two important points to be taken were Chattanooga and a point about 20 miles from Edisto S.C. by taking these two places the Confederacy would be cut in pieces and unable to unite any great force any where. Ask Uncle to look at it on the map…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.15 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28

Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush.  Biddle served with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, beginning in September 1862. Starting out as a major, he would participate in Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)

Transcript:

Head Qrs 121^st Regiment P.V.

Camp near Belle Plains Virg.

Saturday February 14. 1863

Ask Patrick to buy a buy a blue webbing surcingle for me and send it by any opportunity

Dear Julia

I wrote to you yesterday and after writing rode over to Genl Doubleday’s quarters to look out for a new site for the camp. We rode together for several miles and crossed the river which runs into Potomac Creek the road was exceedingly muddy. We saw seven or eight dead horses in the mud by the road side and selected a point just on the crest of the hill looking down into the ravine and with a slight peep into the Potomac Creek in the distance. Doubleday selected his quarters near by – Ramsay and I rode home up the ravine supposing it would head to our camp and found it did so – as we came to the sight site of our first camp we saw some of out men moving down through it and perceived it was the funeral of Roan who died the day before. Don had the service the men fired the parting salute and we returned to camp up on the hill. This morning we rose early and made preparations for packing. We after some delay in relieving picket and waiting for the old one to return got knapsacks packed tents struck wagons (we got 5 extra ones from Division Quartermaster) filled with baggage and even bricks and the plumed tops and sides of cracker boxes which we had been using for table stools doors &c – about twelve O’clock we marched off down the valley and reached our destination after visiting the sites of their other old camps. After arriving and seeing that the different companies had their quarters assigned to them I with permission rode off to Rush’s Cavalry Camp about 4 miles off being on the other side of White Oak Church near our first camp in that vicinity. the road was exceedingly muddy – but not so bad as it has been – the country to which had been heavily wooded when the army first marched through was now very bare of trees indeed – thick woods had been swept away and there was a clear view across the Country over ground…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.14 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28

Alexander Biddle was a member of the prominent Philadelphia Biddle family and was married to Julia Williams Rush,  the granddaughter of Dr. Benjamin Rush. A businessman and member of the First Troop Philadelphia City Calvary before the war, Biddle entered Civil War service with the 121st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry on September 1, 1862. Starting out as a major, he would fight at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)         

Transcript:

Head Qrs 121^st Reg. P.V.

Camp near WO Church Virg

Friday February 13. 1863

Dear Julia

I was just about to occupy a little spare time in writing to you this morning when the mail Sergeant arrived with mail bag containing your letter of 7^th inst – it was a great pleasure to me as I have been looking for one for the last two days. on the hills opposite to us I have been looking at the movements of six squadrons of Cavalry passing in review previous to inspection – Yesterday there was an Artillery review upon the same ground – both very pretty to look at. Our Lieut Col has just returned from Doubleday’s Head Qrs and the Surgeon and I are going over in a short time to ride over towards Belle plains with the General to select new Camping ground nearer to supplies towards Belle plains – we suppose we will get first choice of ground in this way but that may or may not be. Our men are so used up by details for teamsters, picket and minor duties at the different quarters that we hardly have 100 men in camp – I shall be sorry to leave our present situation although by so doing I suppose we shall consolidate the force. Many of our officers have applied for and received leave of absence for ten days – the Col has asked for an additional leave of 10 days which will be up sometime next week – but he is reported by his surgeon as unable to move – I have written him one or two letters but all my writing as a general thing is absorbed by yourself dearest I am in great hopes of some Stirring news from the South and suppose a movement of this Army will follow rapidly upon the news of any Southern Successes by our troops. In conversation this morning the Lieut Col tells me that Doubleday thinks we shall move as soon as weather and roads permit but he also thinks we shall go by water and that is one of the reasons which induces him to think of changing camp – there is also something said of our having a new Brigadier named Stewart who is a Captain in the Regular Army and who was first in McClellan’s West Point Class – we first heard of him through Seymour as an officer of great promise – I give you this as a part of out Camp talk it may interest you if you hereafter hear anything of the Sort…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle.13 February 1863. Rush IV:30:28