September 28, 1862: Alexander Biddle to Julia Williams Biddle

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 a major, he would fight at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other engagements, and would leave the service as a lieutenant colonel. (He was commissioned, but never mustered, as colonel)

[Note: this statement has been updated to reflect that Biddle was not mustered as a colonel. It also originally mistakenly stated Biddle was also at Chancellorsville, but he was on leave]

Transcript [excerpt]:

Sunday evening 28^th September

Camp Chase Virginia

Dearly loved Wife

I date my letter this evening to tell you all the events of the day. At ten Oclock this morning we had the usual movements of the men for inspections of accoutrements across knapsacks all then present to the hospital. Ordinance tent tents of the field and stuff – line officers-Men sutlers shop & Commissary – much of it was unexpected but they passed the examination well. I thought the arms particularly good. But it took nearly three hours to get through it all and immediately after I had a detail made to pitch a large fly (the covering of an officer’s tent very much like a sheet stretched tight over a clothes line) to have church under. We had several hymns – “Welcome sweet day of rest” – “There is a land of pure delight” “When I can read my title clear” and prayers with a short sermon, this brought us to near three O’clock. I then got notice that I was to be “Brigade Field Officer of the Day” tomorrow and looked over my books to get them together. At ½ past 5 we had evening parade and at 6 I went by appointment to talk over Brigade with Genl Kane – I returned at seven and went to out proper meeting. We had six or seven hymns…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 28 September 1862. Rush:IV:30:23