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 others 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:
Camp New Frederic
Friday October 3rd 1862
Dear Julia
We are still in camp just South of Frederic. We are in want of our teams and everything we expected to be supplied with they seem to be short of. We have barely got kettles and food enough to prepare. The daily food of the men and have just twenty axes and spades in the whole regiment. Our teams were expected today but they have not yet arrived. There are and to be some 7000 wounded men still in the churches and hospitals in the town. We get our meals daily at a private house who prepare meals for the Union people. I have not seen anything Secesh. as yet Although I have heard of one or two instances of such expressions We have been ordered to march to Sharpsburg about 27 miles distant over two ranges of hills north & west of us. As soon as our teams arrive we will march and they ought to be here now. We may march tomorrow but hardly before night if then. Our men are all in shelter tents that is one tent of which two men each carry one side. They cut a couple of forked sticks and wedge pole and stretch the tent over it [picture] these tents are about 3 feet high and about 5 feet long. Just enough to be shelter from rain and sun. Sometimes a third man uses his piece to make a back to the tent. We have a fly of a hospital tent stretched over a stake on two mashed boxes for props and the corners stretched on poled held out by gags [diagram] it makes a queer looking tent and it accommodates the Colonel Lieut Col. – Major – Adjutant Chaplain and sometimes another I don’t believe any other regiment has such limited accommodation We have just returned from a two mile ride to the Monocacy to bathe. We had a delightful bath, I suppose we shall not get a mail for sometime and I shall therefore be deprived the pleasure of hearing from you. I begin to appreciate something of the devastation which an army creates, I see whole fences go for firewood and a regiment opposite to us on a hillside we can see making a covering to their fence rail tents with corn stalks cut in a farmer’s close by. I met Cadwalader Biddle yesterday in the street. He had been over to our Camp but came up here on business. He had no idea of meeting us. Clem Baudey was also in out Camp. He seems to have earned innumerable friends by his services which have been great beyond question. I have given you all I have to say pretty thoroughly. Camp life is monotonous enough when I don’t hear from home We have the battalion drill in the afternoon from 3 to 5. My wing was not under my Command for two hours. The Right Wing with Chapman. Afterwards we had the usual Dress parade. Rush’s Cavalry I hear are about 3 miles off – they passed through Frederic today. Averill has been made a Brigadier General. He is the other promising Cavalry officer and I fear his appointment is not very pleasant to your cousin Richard. It is I think a step over his head. We are ordered to form the first Army Corps I think it is Hooker’s. He is said to be “the Coming Man” – At least he is the one we understand to be most in favor in Washington – McClellan not excepted. Love to Uncle and to all the darling little ones show Alick my pictures of the tents and tell him that is all we have to sleep under not larger than the sheet you have every night. Give love to Clem and tell him I want to hear all his experience from him. Kiss darling Harry Julia and sweet Winny. Remember me to Cassy and Maria.
Your aff. Husband
Alexander
Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 3 October 1862. Rush:IV:30:24
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