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):
Camp at Rappahannock St
August 31st 1863
Dear Wife
Today there was a review of the Division and a muster of the troops for pay I was at neither and employed my time in building a bower of pine boughs in front of Head Qrs tent which was completed with a screen of the same on the sides to keep our retreat from being too open to observation In the afternoon the first series of my papers came back from Hd Qrs of the Army (Meade’s) and I found the points I wished to establish pretty nearly settled in my favor – the whole thing was more so than I had any right to expect – and so I was contented – Chapman was again out to the picket line as duty It has gotten to be a custom for officers to ride to the out posts and the unusual appearance of much riding along our lines has no doubt alarmed the rebels – for at one part of the day a squadron of their Cavalry drew up in line of battle at about 200 Yds distant and drew sabers but did not attack – and soon retired – this is the way attacks and alarms frequently occur – the out posts of both sides are established they get to know each other’s position and remain in peaceful observation that no unusual change takes place – Some day a lot of officers from curiosity ride to the outposts on one side – the other seeing a body of horse – send forward an increased force – then an orderly goes back & states that there appears to be an advance – the reserves get under arms – if they advance to within easy common shot – a battery opens a skirmish ensues – 50 or 60 killed & wounded on each side and neither party having any object in view they maintain this position for a while, there is a cessation of firing and towards night all becomes quiet and each side counts up its losses resulting from indiscretion…
Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 31 August 1863. Rush IV:30:34