October 31, 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:

Camp at Bristow Station

Saturday October 31, 1863

Dear Wife,

Another day has passed away after a rainy Friday night and early this morning and mud for much of the day. The regiment was mustered for pay to day and now the wind has come out fresh and strong from the north. So much so that we have had the tent pegs tightened to keep our tent standing during the night. There seems to be an idea that we may move nearer to Warrenton junction in a day or two. I believe that Meade now has his Head Qts somewhere near there. It is very dreary and monotonous this sort of life but it seems as if there was no way of altering it for the present .You cannot conceive how it irritates me to find that almost all second class small politicians have really more influence in the army than those who have made sacrifices to support it. I don’t think there is any scheme of doing anything just now- but if the weather gets to be fine mild and clear I would not be surprised if Meade were to cook up some scheme in the next 40 days. It cannot however on either side be more than a foolish sacrifice of blood and material—If Lincoln would only turn his legions and think a little more of making them fighting men we should do better. As it is I most heartily wish I was free to leave the service and trust that I may be so before long. Give love to Mollie and all her children and to Emily and hers and to brother Clem. I have not got a line from him since the fright about the Penn. Invasions. We now have fires pretty much all day and a good deal of the night before our tents and find them pleasant. We are on or close by the battle ground at this place- which our Corps was the first to pass—it seems that D.H. Hill’s Rebel Corps has been expected to push on towards Centreville- and that he is no under arrest. I think under God’s Providence it was well for him that he didn’t do so. The feeling of the men was more like fighting at Centreville than I have seen them since Gettysburg. I hope all this will soon be over and that God may grant us an early peace and restorations to each other—Love to Uncle and all the children. Your loving husband, Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 31 October 1863. Rush IV:30:36