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:

Camp near Belleplains Vig

Head Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

March 31^st 1863

Dear Julia

Chapman came day before yesterday afternoon – Yesterday I went round with him to visit the different Hd Qrs – Col Porters Genl Doubleday’s – we dined with the Genl and Mrs Doubleday who a niece of Mrs Elizabeth Biddle (Mrs Keating & Mrs Hopkins that was) the meal was a soldiers one and Mrs Doubleday helped to soup with a galvanized iron tinned cup – We walked around the various points of view and came back to Camp – we had two hours of battalion drill in the afternoon and tactics in the evening from 8 till ten.

Chapman does not seem to me strong or well though very much better than when he left us, he says he can walk ten miles easily but to my mind he has not lost the puffed – (dropsied) appearance which I believe is occasioned by his malady No longer in the miserable hole where he was taken ill and as we fare much better then he will do well…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 31 March1863. Rush IV:30:29

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):

Head Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

Camp near Belle plains

Saturday March 28 1863

Dear Wife

I today received the enclosed it explains itself, I cant very well tell you anything more for I don’t recollect what I said in my letter to Tom and perhaps it is as well that you should know nothing about it – but I think the enclosed will both please and amuse you from the weathercocky character of recent correspondence of which it is the sequel. You can see how it is nothing more than the result of vagaries which sit longer upon my brother Tom than most others – I have written to him as kindly as I could and trust our next discussion will be in the peaceful scenes of civil life when war will be no more. We have been in expectation to day of having a Review of the Army Corps but it has rained incessantly with occasional lightning and thunder the roads are again wretched and it will be several days before they Can be in any very good order again – We have also today been expecting the Colonel but he has not arrived and cant do so before to morrow afternoon I wrote to you yesterday about our Brigade Review which we got through with very nicely the little 121^st doing its share very fairly. One thing which surprises me is the tales of dissension among officers of other regiments which I hear of in their relations with each other – In the 121^st We have always been united and there is no one among them in whom I have not a great deal of confidence and with whom we have ever had any but the pleasantest relations…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 28 March1863. Rush IV:30:29

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):

Head Qrs 121^st Reg P.V.

Camp near Belleplains Virginia

March 26. 1863

Dear Julia

I wrote a few hurried lines to you this morning rather than miss the mail and immediately afterwards turned out the Regiment for inspection although it was raining at the time The inspecting officer occupied us for about an hour and then breakfasted with us leaving us after that was over to go on his way to other regiments – During the day we had the usual Company drills and Battalion drill in the afternoon also recitation in the evening in tactics – the time which these duties occupy has prevented my having so much leisure to write home as I have lately had – Your pencil lines by Lieut Don are really touching I trust our heavenly father may soon grant you good health and strength to go through your trials which I earnestly desire to share with you and hope it may please him so to order our public affairs that we may return in peace to each other in a little time – I have but little gratification (I mean military gratification for I have no other) in the regiment its great reduction in officers and men by wounds sickness and the details usual in service has left us but a skeleton of what we were – this morning we had 220 men out on inspection – We Can all told hardly furnish over 330 effective men…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 26 March1863. Rush IV:30:29

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:

Head Qrs Reg P.V.

Camp near Belle plains Virg

Sunday night March 22 1863

Dear Wife

We have had two or three days of wretched weather – I now write just before going to bed – first enclosing a note and two photographs one of Capt Zell who will probably call to see you – he was one of out best Captains has now resigned – after doing all his health and constitution permitted him to do. I send you his note in reply to a friendly one I wrote to him upon hearing his resignation being very sorry to lost him The other photograph is Dr Ramsay’s – our Surgeon’s – to add to your album of our officers – I also enclose a slip cut out of the newspaper – an advertisement from the office in February last which keep – it might perhaps be well to know where to lay one’s hands on it at a future day I hear to day that we are to turn in all our baggage, each officer allowed one change of clothing – each man a blanket – a regiment to have only two pack mules – after this is effected we are to be ready to march at any moment I would not be surprised if Hooker made a bold move with the whole army before two weeks are over. We shall see and try to be ready

We have been looking up tactics and drill of all kinds and will I think do pretty well although we want a good deal of steady quiet practice to make things to my mind – I hear my chance of getting home is very slight indeed I think our Lieut Colonel is likely to leave us for a political Campaign for which his abilities are better fitted than for the field – You of course know the prospects of the Colonel better than I do – they are not encouraging to me – I fear it will be a long time before his health is sufficiently Confirmed to enable him to ride at the head of the regiment Tell me what name you determine for the little master – Your fancy Eugene would suit I think very well – if you do not choose any of the others . You used to speak of that as Commemoration of Murray’s wife if it were applied to a young lady but being in the male line may do as well…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 22 March1863. Rush IV:30:29

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:

Head Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

Camp near Belleplains Virginia

March 20^th 1863

Dear Julia

I have this afternoon by the mail and by Hall who with Dr Ramsay returned this afternoon your two pencil notes of 17^th & 19^th – You dear good naughty girl – not to tell me about yourself in bed & suffering, painful as it would have been to have been to have thought you suffering I now feel as if I had done a sort of wrong in feeling cheerful because I thought you well I am very very stupid I ought to have known better – I now feel like a very great goose as I am – if there is any good in me it is of your producing and I don’t know where I can find a better example than by initiating the beautiful behavior which always charms me in all you say and do – it was indeed Heaven’s best gift to me in giving me such a wife such a friend, such a counselor and such a pattern not to dwell on the gentle maiden whom I so much loved but dear wife I truly love you better now. May God who so showers upon us his good gifts continue them to us in giving you health and strength in your trial and gently lead us in his paths to meet again in happiness – The box with the Chickens turkey eggs &c is charming – it has been opened in perfect order and will adorn our breakfast table tomorrow – I think Tom will come all right again it is one of his vagaries – I think he is a little scared and feels dependent on Peale (You recollect about the impudent marriage lecture, it nearly makes me laugh to think of the new phase he has gotten into) – Peale is a very good young man but if Tom don’t take care he will excite hopes and create ideas of the future which he has no right to, which may produce the very effect Tom evidently fears – that of quitting the office and leaving Tom helpless and alone. I have written Tom a long letter – I have given him a sketch of how I think I could carry on the business were he sick and I in his position which I hope may serve as a hint to him and diminish his ideas of difficulty in managing the business – the fact I think is we are inseparable from the trusts & estate matters in which we have a joint interest – to get another person mixed up makes the jumble more bothering and does no good but I wait to see what comes of it To day it has been snowing all day about two to four inches remaining – cold hazy and cheerless – Yesterday we had a Brigade drill – After the drill we (three Regiments 142^nd, 121^st, 151^st) were drawn up in three lines six paces apart – The Colonel Commdg Brig (Porter) told his Adj to read the report of Averill’s Cavalry success which had been received from Head Qrs – and then he proposed in a loud voice “three cheers for the Army of the Potomac” men not what a regular would do they dont like it even – they were given with a will – They were hardly over when one of my scamps proposed three cheers for Major Biddle – which were given with a yell & tug in afterwards – another man in the left wing immediately called out three more and they gave three more with a will – Some one in another regiment called out three cheers for Col Porter – there was an exceedingly faint response – Some one of the 151^st called three for Col Allen which the 151^st gave heartily – I hardly know what they were about until the thing was over it passed so quickly but Col Porters little effort at popular sympathy just didn’t do what he wanted the 142^nd and 121^st are sometimes now called veterans and I think I can sometimes see in our men the lightheartedness which I used to admire in the Old Bucktails whom we usually relieved when they were with us – New troops unaccustomed to rough it have a dull look when alongside of old ones who have gone through the vicissitudes of Camp life and who take all changes with cheerfulness there was another little piece of fun on the way home – the 151^st tried to pass us whilst we were marching slowly through the woods We had a little race at double quick and carried our point in getting through the wood first the men moving altogether without a gap like a party of school boys just out of school wild with laughter but keeping their ranks so that nothing could pass through them just before the 151^st at the point where they enter their camp – obliging them to wait until we got by…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 20 March1863. Rush IV:30:29

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 Belleplains Virg

Hear Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

March 18^th 1863

Dear Julia

I am writing in my tent after retuning from Brigade did this afternoon from ½ past two to 5 Oclock I found on my return the long absent box with the 41 pair stockings [gridiron?] &c &c all in very good order for all which I was very grateful I also received one of our dear good Uncle’s letters gushing of you full of kindness to me You must thank him for it in my name I would answer it directly but that I hope he may so far indulge me as I have but little time with a good deal of writing yet to do to night and may not have time Tell Emily I have her letter of 16^th and thank her for that If she will just say in a note to Clem or Tom that she would like to be made the guardian of the children either can hand it to George Biddle who has attended to all out legal business in court. I would however suggest to her that she should name her brother John Frank or Emlen and some one of us three brothers as associates with her in the Guardianship – they may have to give some security in Court for faithful discharge of duty but George could settle that part…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 18 March1863. Rush IV:30:29

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:

Head Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

Camp near Belleplains

Virg

March 16^th 1863

Dear Uncle

I received your two letters of 12^th & 13^th both of great interest to me – I write to day to Julia about whom please write to me – the event was a surprise but I am glad to hear that the new comer makes so good an appearance and trust he will behave himself creditably Julia is always so quiet about herself that I believe she never would confess an ailment if one did not perceive it clearly I did not from her letters think the young gentleman was to appear so soon.

The other letter which regards what I think a strange proposition on the part of Tom I am glad to find confirms my judgment I have written Clem a long letter on the subject which he may perhaps show to you altho: I have made no mention of you in it

I give him my reasons and ask him to go to the office daily in my behalf during my absence. He may perhaps like this but I hardly think will undertake it –

It does seem to me very strange that my brother Tom should ask his father’s son to quit the firm of Thos Biddle & Co to allow a stranger to take his place, who is to say hereafter whether he should come back or not

The result to be obtained being that he Tom should be allowed to go away to travel retaining all his share and interest in the firm –

That is the proposition as I understand it – I so not agree to it, never will.

I have always looked on the brokers business as the mere tie to the business world which kept us agog in daily matters – profitable certainly – but our greatest source of benefit is in the landed property out father had left us

If my brother Tom were calmly thinking of his best interests I think he would perceive that the real business we have is to take Care of our own but I know he wont think of the matter in this light – He has let his wife write to me and I now suppose I will soon hear something more definite from him –

If the worst Comes to the worst I might send in my resignation – that might now be accepted or if accepted might place me in an unpleasant Category – I do not fear that however with the reliance I have on my associates in arms, I believe they would sustain me even if I left them in the face of an enemy

I did not come here for fame or glory and if my duty lies at home I will try to do it there I hope the early termination of this war is soon to be at hand

Your affte nephew

A Biddle

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to his uncle. 16 March 1863. Rush IV:30:29

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:

Head Quarters 121 Reg P.V.

Camp near Belleplains Virg

March 15. 1863

My dear dear Julia

I thank God that I hear that you are doing well. May his mercy guard and protect you and our new darling from all evil – the news was a surprise to me I wrote to you long ago about taking care of yourself but you were so quiet you always wrote so cheerfully and seemed to me so full of energy that I almost thought when I left home you had made a slight mistake. You remember I wrote to you about Mrs L and you never answered a word on the subject – You naughty girl I fear you have been playing off on me to, and making believe that there was no coming event – now I presume very distinctly visible and audible. You must as soon as you Can do it have the silver Cup of the same old pattern procured at Caldwells with the name and date from his Papa. What is the name to be – tell me what you wish and I will consent, he weighs 10 ½ lbs does he a very respectable weight for so young a gentleman – What does Miss Jule think of it him – it he confirms her in state of betweenity two above and two below – In household matters she will always form one of a triple alliance with the older or younger party. What does darling Harry think of him does he say he’s pretty or what – unbiased opinion as regards his beauty Do you remember the day we showed him the ruby and his remark, its very pretty well This dear one is dearer and I dare say prettier in Harry’s eyes than any ruby Julia how many mercies and blessings surrounds us – I hail another evidence of our heavenly father’s gentleness in his dealings with us in this new proof of his abiding protection and mercy May we so live in thankfulness and humble dependence on him that in all we think and speak and do We may endeavor to be guided by his percepts for our instruction – I see the mercy of his overruling power almost every day. Six months ago I left Philad one of seven of the Field & Staff – to night I am the only one in Camp – out of ten Captains who came out with us Three now are here and one of them is pretty low in health – have not I reason to thank him for his mercy to me have I not also for his mercy to you and our beloved little ones May he always preserve protect and keep us from evil and guide us through a righteous life in peace together to an eternity of happiness in his favor through our Savior God bless you again and again My beloved wife

Your loving

Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letters signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 15 March1863. Rush IV:30:29