October 19, 1862: Alexander Biddle to Julia Williams Rush 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):

Camp New Sharpsburg

Oct 19^th 1862

Head Quarters of 121^st Reg. P. V.

1^st Brigade, 1^st Division

Dear Julia

It is afternoon just after the day’s service has been broken of by a devilish shower. I have been endeavoring to write to you for the last two days but have hardly had time. One of our Captain’s (Captain Wrigly) goes back to Philadelphia on Wednesday next on a weeks furlough and anything you can send me of a portable character he will bring. I will ask him to call at the office and let you know / He is from Manayunk and poor fellow has lost his wife since he has been away / A few spermaceti candles, the little silver watch repaired, any late newspaper, a fine toothed comb a small box of dried ginger, some ginger nuts bread, another large flask with some good brandy in it and anything else you think of. Say two pair of colored flannel drawers, my measure round the waist is 36 inches, length of drawers 3 ft 3 inches. It is very difficult for me to say what I want but every now and then I think of some of our little home comforts which would be very acceptable Above all dearest I want your photograph. I like to have it by me – you cannot conceive how I long to see you and how tiresome and lonely it is to think how long it may be before I get a chance of being with you. Yesterday our Owen very unexpectedly walked into my tent. I was delighted to see him. I was at the moment busy in making out some requisitions and finished them out while he was with me. I showed him the day news you sent me and he told me he sat in from of Julie as she went in. I introduced him to Mo Ferriday and the Colonel – tried to prevail on him to stay but he was going to [Donoketown?] and left us. He can tell you much of the frightful scenes of the hospitals and hair breadth escapes. In Harper’s Weekly of the 18^th October you will see a sketch of the Antietam bridge – they Call it Burnsides bridge and write about the sharp fighting that took place there – I mention it because I forded the Antietam first about where the left of the picture begins and rode out on the other side close to the bridge up the banks.

I rode this morning with the Colonel to return the call of General Ricketts and found him and Johnny Williams, James Biddle, and their surgeon and Ben Richards – Ben Richards rode with us over the Antietam battle field and we saw the ground over which Ricketts division advanced/ He lost one in every three of his men as the reports show. I saw wheels broken 30 or 40 dead horses, quantities of cartridge box tins. Old haversacks, trees scored shattered and perforated by4, shot and in two instances large trees cut down. One tree had been twice nearly cut in half. A meeting house with 25 or 30 shot holes through it. Many unexploded shells still on the ground We passed over the part which Ricketts marched over and then went towards our Camp. We all very undecided about our movements soldiers in the field know but little beyond what they are engaged in. I hear that the butchers are ordered to return the cattle to the drovers, this seems to mean marching…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Wiliams Rush Biddle. 19 October 1862. Rush:IV:30:24