November 6, 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 Ridge below Catlett’s

Station, Friday Nov. 6, 1863

Dear Wife,

You will here recognize some of the nice paper you sent me which is exactly the size to go into my pocket book without folding. I wrote to you last night telling you of our night march from Bristow Station to this point where the duty assigned to our regiment is to guard a bridge over Cedar Run about 60 to 100 yards distant. We are hardly strong enough to do it effectively in case of an attack and every day lament our position—not withstanding the many many good reasons we have for relinquishing our connection with the army. Neither the Col nor myself have had for six months past any command to which we are entitled. I am entitled to command six Cos as a minimum- my regiment now numbers 165 men for duty or less than two. The Col. who is entitled to command a full Regiment has in his whole brigade about 350 men- less than four companies. If we were to be attacked by a confederate Regiment of moderate strength we could hardly hope for success and yet if beaten we would be called a brigade of two regiments and if successful would receive no credit from our nomenclature. We can do nothing which a regiment ought to do. Indeed my regiment can do little more work than a well organized company should do, yet we have the apparatus and machinery to supply 1000 men. Our commander knows all this but no one seems to care whether Uncle Sam’s money is wasted or not and whether he gets the service he pays for. They only won’t let men go who want to go away and probably think it is a fine thing to keep as many as possible from going away- but never give a thought to any idea that army organization would be improved by consolidating ineffective regiments and expense saved by permitting superfluous officers to withdraw. I notice today that the new Col. Maj. & [Adt?] of the Corn Exchange Reg. (Provost’s old Reg) are all in Philadelphia- this semi political organization you perceive gets favors under pleas of ill health perhaps real and the Regiment is left in charge of a Captain. I don’t object but how differently people view things—suppose Chapman, I and Hall were all to come home together for any cause but the misfortunes of a battle field—what would we be likely to think of it ourselves or suppose the world would think of it.

Last night we got to our camp after midnight after sending out the guard pitching a tent- &c Getting some cold ham and bread for supper we slept soundly till morning. As we were dressing- using the sponge bath freely we heard the rattle of fire arms and presently several volleys. The way shoes went on & four marvelous horses were readied to be saddled. The regiment put under arms and we found that it was nothing more than Kilpatrick’s cavalry who had come in the afternoon of yesterday from Falmouth discharging their revolvers loaded for sometime past. It was very pleasing to find it only a false alarm. After breakfast we rode out to inspect our position and see how the land lay around us—the Creek Cedar Run is very muddy and the soil in which it flows is very clayey, so much so that it is considered unsafe to send a horse in or to ford it on some places but neither horse nor rider could get out, but sink deeper in the mud. Our wagons came up during the day. In the afternoon I saw some scrub jays among the Cavalry in a field about half a mile back of us and put up a covey of partridge in my walk. The Botany you sent me has already been of interest to me and has helped me to recognise the partridge berry plant in flower and some others. We hear that the tendency now seems to be towards Falmouth—at about this time last year we were at Warrenton and the Army may go mind the same pathway again. You may perhaps remember my quoting what Seymour said at Warrenton of his having moved round in a circle on a radius of a 100 miles. We have done the same. We augur well to our cause from the reports of southern finances and scarcity of food. I hope we may not be mistaken but that the matter is to draw to a close without any difficulty. North Carolina seems to almost ready to give up her connections with rebeldom, at least she is getting ready to yield to popular will when manifested in sufficiently unmistakable tones. God bless and preserve you dear wife and lead us in peace and happiness soon together again. Bless my little darlings and give love to Uncle. It is now after nine o’clock by the valued little silver watch. A bright fire is burning before our tent and soon I expect to lie down on my boards and blankets which serve and make a most excellent bed. God bless you all again dear wife,

Your loving husband,

Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle,6 November 1863. Rush IV:30:37