November 12, 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 Cedar Run Ridge

1863 November 12^th Thursday

Dear Wife,

Night again has closed in upon us and I am again employed in giving you the daily account of our activities. Cavalry have been coming into the woods in squads with broken down horses which they expect to change for good ones not yet arrived at this station. This evening we hear that a shanty was burned about 2 ½ miles from here by three Rebel cavalry men about sundown. This is the only thing which has occurred. The day has been beautifully clear and as fine as one could wish to see. Today two of General Rowley’s aids, Dennison and [Heburton?], were ordered to join him at Portland so that tomorrow our Brigade Hd. Qts will be smaller. Another of our captains- J. Frank Sterling, who was shot in the side at Gettysburg, has resigned and his resignation accepted on account of physical disability. How hard it seems that with out the power of doing any real good to the service I am kept here to fill this nominal position- that too when the Government pays so high for services. I am or rather have been talking to an old Negro from the James River who has been with an officer for 17 months and who has been telling us about the farms and people of the James River. He is a good specimen of the race but more intelligent than ordinary. He has just been writing his name for us, which is not badly written and says that five months ago he could not make a straight mark with his pen. He says also that he can read and that he started it himself. He is 41 years of age and says if he were in the South and that (his writing) were seen they would do more than whip him. He says he taught himself to read eight years ago on the plantation- and that when he spelt wrong he spelt wrong and that when he spelt right, he spelt right, but he kept on, until he found out how to do right. I have been writing whilst cross questioning him and have been setting down his words. He is now showing us his copy book which is at the same time a journal, really a curious little production. He tells us that the negroes hardly know the meaning of the war and that it is carefully kept from them but they are beginning to find out what is to be the effect of it. Oh what I would give to be with you and get rid of all this business and find myself safe at home with my dearly loved ones again. The army instead of being an honorable service seems to me to have become in a great measure a prison house- whose doors are freely opened to politicians to enter to plunder or to go out with it, to all them it is a system of [durance ?]. When one sees so much of this is it surprising that it should be greatly opposed. I shall be I think hereafter more than ever an advocate of schools of military instruction but I fear West Point has gotten under the thumb of the politicians. Good night dear Wife, may God bless, protect and preserve us all to a happy reunion is my constant prayer. Your loving husband, Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle,12 November 1863. Rush IV:30:37