July 19, 1863: 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.  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 near Hamilton
Loudoun County Virga
July 19th 1863 Sunday

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We have been passing through a fertile and beautiful part of Virginia and have bread frequently, which always seems necessary for entirely good health.  On our march from Hagerstown we saw several pretty houses, one of a Mr Prochette said to be deserted, A large white building with four green windows in a front all closed up, with hedges all untrimmed, barns and corn cribs empty.  To day in passing through Waterford which is pretty much inhabited by the Quakers  I for the first time saw several rather pretty female faces – several elderly Quakers with solemn aspect spectacles and plain clothes waved Union flags as we passed by in sadly patriotic silence but I have no doubt it was hearty and genuine feeling on their part — one poor fellow who came (improperly) through the camps last night was so cross questioned by Chapman that he got quite frightened evidently fearing he might be called on publicly to repeat what he said which might expose him to the ire of Secesh neighbors. he sent us some black berries in the evening. In the midst of the conversation Chapman turned to me and said, “How long did they leave that spy hanging at Frederick?[“] referring to an execution of a spy by General French. We both afterwards agreed that it was cruel for the poor fellow was evidently scared and Could have no idea what harm less creatures we really were – having a notion that he looked upon all soldiers as men of blood we for a moment forgot our respect for ancestry and made the assumption by innuendo that spies might be in harmless Quaker guise – he got very talkative after a little while and told us all we wanted to Know which was chiefly how to get bread butter and blackberries…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 19 July 1863. Rush IV:30:33