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

Transcript:

Dear Julia

I have asked Capt Wrigley to call and see you and tell you that he left me well. He will give you the silver watch and you can send the other to me by him. He has suddenly told me that he is just going off or I would write more

Your aff

Alexander

Dec 31 1862

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 31 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26

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

Transcript:

Monday Dec. 29^th 1862

Dear Wife,

I have just returned to camp from Court Martial and found Benoni Lockwood at Head Quarters looking better than I have ever seen him – last evening too I found B Tilghman – he also looking better than I have ever seen him. We had visits too from several others I don’t know whether I mentioned to you having seen Charley Cadwalader about a week since looking exceedingly well – these meetings are very pleasant but it does seem to me strange to meet with officers who have been with their regiments who report scarcely any loss in action after such an experience as we have had. I trust we have had our worst visitation from the destroying angel and hereafter that abler counsels may obtain success with less sacrifice of life. The day is beautiful – the air just sufficiently sharp to be pleasant the sun shining brightly the men busy putting their log houses in order – the sound of the busy axe chop, chop on every side – some carrying rails for kindling wood and canteens of water passing into camp – a lazy sentry sauntering in a manner I don’t think military a few yards off. My blankets and bedding stretched on the pine trees to be aired – the boys getting the dinner table ready in the log hut and all nature as bright and calm as calm can be. Now I go back in thought to you and my sweet home and think of the dear children and their Christmas sport with the tree Papa is very sorry that the Rappahannock cars won’t take him home – he would be glad to go if he could…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 29 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26

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

Transcript:

Sunday Dec. 28^th, 1862

Dear Julia,

We are all in Camp at the old ground near White Oak Church – to day I heard your box per Sanitary Comm. was at Acquia Landg. and have sent over out ambulance to procure it and some medical stores and have no doubt but that I shall succeed. One of our Captains Wrigley has this morning recd. leave of absence for 9 days from 1^st January and I shall ask him to call on you. He was formerly a policeman. You will find him a little rough perhaps in appearance but he is in every respect a good soldier and man –much better than many of more external polish. If you have anything to send do it by him. I was greatly pleased with your bag which came on Christmas so don’t send me anymore of that until I write to you. I feel quite set up again with my private store which sometimes have been an amazing help. I see in the Inquirer of the 25^th a letter which must have been written by Rosengarten in which he gives me a little puff Everyday I hear of new incidents of marvelous escape – one man was shot through his canteen of water but was unhurt. Send me any interesting papers and if you like to keep extracts from the papers of the doing of the 121^st perhaps in future days if God will bless and preserve us for peace and happiness here on earth they may be pleasant to look over..

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 28 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26

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 at 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 White Oak Church

Christmas Day. 1862

Dear Julia

I have your letter of 20^th inst. and have your sweet Rainy day in Camp. It is very pretty and every line of it almost has a response in feeling surging with the changeful hours of a soldier’s life. Yesterday we sent 150 men out on picket duty – I was on court martial we disposed of one case and adjourned until tomorrow Today I rode over about 3 miles to a new landing on the indentation which runs into Belle Plains called here General Franklin’s new landing and went on board of a sutler’s boat but found him almost all sold out – the Lieut Col and I got some maple syrup chocolate and butter for the mess and transported it to camp – We don’t look much to seeing our sutler we think he don’t want to come, we don’t see why he can’t run a boat to the landing and give us notice – We hear that Chapman’s trunk is at Acquia and have sent for it – I fear the box of the sanitary commission will not get farther than Washington or at most than Acquia – Lewis might send it but unless there is someone to send it forward at every depot it stands but little chance. The best way to send me anything will be by Hulse – Zell – Lloyd – if they come back well – but don’t let it be large. Hulse you may trespass on most – A man named Daniel Holland I told to call on you who is going to return in 2^nd January an officer’s servant – you may send a small pckge by him. Dear Wife I can say to you that you cant conceive how grateful I feel to our Heavenly Father for his merciful preservation of me on the 13^th inst. Read the Herald of Tuesday the 23^rd You will there find extracts from the Richmond paper and what they think of the attack on their right made by our left.

– Christmas Night –

Dear Julia I closed my letter just as our ambulance (which was sent to Acquia Creek yesterday morning) returned to our quarters this evening at dark. We have since been like a parcel of Christmas schoolboy children rejoicing over the good things from home. Your bag was very welcome it has quite set me up in all I wanted, I now have chocolate in plenty and feel like taking the field again despite weather and short rations. We have much to learn yet and much to endure – entre nous the Colonel has been quite ailing for two or three weeks past – but I think careful attention on the part of his officers particularly the surgeon has helped him thoroughly. I do not think him strong – Atwood too I think is falling behind and I should not be surprised if he found his health too infirm for his position – but the first is a case of real physical trial and I have no idea how Chapman will not persist to the uttermost extent of his ability in doing all he has pledged himself to do – the latter case I think partially disinclination for the trials of this life attended with some ordinary camp ailments and the disheartening feeling that a protraction of the war of an uncertain character is before us all these things I feel as much as anyone and so do all the officers (nor do I individually consider myself under any personal obligation to the men of the Regiment as almost all the other officers excepting Atwood, Hall and the Surgeons all) but I don’t think just at this moment that I ought to think of going home. As I write I hear a distant cannon shot and have heard from day to day occasional shots – all of which goes to show that we have not made our arrangements for a quiet winter yet – I trust God will bless our cause with success and so rule our hearts and minds that no injustice will govern us in our treatment of our foes – but that success will always be tempered with extreme mercy…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 25 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26

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 at 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):

Wednesday 24^th Dec

Camp near White Oak Ch

Dear Julia

Again I seize a free moment from this tedious life to write to you –

I have been yesterday and today sitting on a court martial which will exempt me from much camp duty. I hear to day that Meade has been made Genl. of the 5^th Army Corps and that our Division is now commanded by the Senior Colonel Sickel from Bucks County Since our service before Fredericksburg there has been a great desire of many officers to go home – this added to a prevalent diarrhea which characterizes all camp life has made many discover a physical [inability?] which in many cases I fear is real – I would myself very willingly now resign my commission and go home if I thought I could properly do so. Our regiment reduced to 400 without a prospect of increase is not a force which requires three field officers and I do not care to do the duty of a nominal position where the command does not really exist I fear however that it is not to be my lot to get home soon I most heartily wish it were – We are doing nothing for good here and I  can’t conceive what object our leaders have in view here within ten miles of Acquia Creek…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 24 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26

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 at 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):

Philad. Dec 21^st 1862

Camp near White Oak Ch

Head Quarters 121^st Reg P.V.

Dear Julia

Here we are on the edge of a ploughed field in a little grove of pine trees in which we pitched our tents for additional protection. The last few nights have been very cold and one when we were on picket duty was exceedingly trying. I have to day asked one of our captains to ask his father the Rev. Mr Clapp to call on you in case he passes through the city with the intention of visiting our camp any small packages you may send by him – it is extremely difficult now to find any means of receiving parcels from you. Raisin or Mr. Mahon may come down – and the box Barclay brought may reach us but there seems to be great difficulty in so doing. I do not think much of the charge of the regiments – or of any department of the Army. We have little or no communications with home We are not well supplied with provisions or clothing – hay for horses seems to be considered a useless luxury. In short an army fuller of hope enthusiasm and life was never seen – and now we are not discouraged but disgusted with everything which has been done.

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 21 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26

Transcript:

Washington 20 dec 1862

My dear sister

If Mrs. Biddle will send by express a box to care of Col. Rucker Chief Quarter Master Washington addressed to her husband a letter noting that the articles are the property of her husband & are not contraband-or are things for his men it will be forwarded.

A list of the contents should accompany the [illeg.]. All liquors are contraband.

The regulations are very strict for the ingenuity of the military pedlars and camp followers is great & the temptation to illicit trade [illeg.]

Love to all. I have written to father {the letter is torn here} success.

Ever your [sister?]

(illeg)

Mrs Emily S Biddle

710 Walnut Street

Philadelphia

Citation: Emily S. Biddle, recipient.  Washington, 20 December 1862. Rush 37:22

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

Transcript:

Friday 19^th Dec ‘62

Camp Near White Oak Church

Dear Julia

I send you these few lines just to say that I am well I sent yesterday by Clam Barclay my walet and wrote to Tom

Yesterday Thursday 18^th we moved from the Camp to which we marched on Tuesday 16^th and where we remained on 17th last night was exceedingly cold and to day we have moved about 300 yds into the woods. We are all pretty well but hope some sensible counsels will prevail at Washington – this battle we think a [Stauntons?] and Halleck Sacrifice and totally unnecessary

We hope the next will be more successful

Love to Uncle Children and brothers

I shall write as soon as I get a little more settled but am now boiling water for tea and eating your sausage and toasted crackers for dinner.

When you send me any packages put a few raw onions in along with other things

We feel disheartened because we hate to think of winter quarters – but for no other cause A more spirited army never was so foolishly exposed – and they will be ready again when required

Good by beloved wife Remember me always in your prayers to him who alone gives me safety in this world and in the next

Your loving husband

Alexander

Send me any interesting newspaper which attracts your attention – An occasional Harpers Weekly or Monthly

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 19 December 1862. Rush:IV:30:26