October 7, 1862: 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. 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 major, he would fight at Fredericksburg and Gettysburg, among other 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 (excerpt):

Camp New Frederick Md

October 7. 1862

Dear Julia

We are still here endeavoring to get ourselves in marching order – all are ordered positively to march tomorrow. And expect to go on tomorrow afternoon to Sharpsburg. We are to report to the first Army Corps. I wish we were in better order but I cannot perceive that there is much judgment exercised any where as yet. Many Red tape obstacles and Red tape forms required not to be had at the proper offices. We have less than 700 men but I think pretty good ones. I wish we had some genuine army man nearer to us who could speak more from experience but fear that I am in error when I suppose that they possess the experience I expect. We want very much some officer to tell the men what to do, what to carry with them, and what to leave and how and where to leave it. An army inspecting officer does go round to visit the camps but in our case instead of getting information from him his inquiries were merely directed to the ordinary discipline usually enforced in the Army by the Sergeants who receive recruits – but which in our case as the sergeants are comparatively new men and the men entirely green, it is very difficult to enforce in a body of 700 if every sergeant is not constantly on the watch…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 7 October 1862. Rush:IV:30:24