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
Monday July 6th 1863
Bivouac near Emmittsburg
Dear wife
We this morning moved from our position near Gettysburg to within a mile of Emmittsburg. there was a little firing on the 4th July but no action – in the night it rained continuously, we sleeping on a rock next morning the 5th the rebels had left – we remained whilst other Corps moved off and moved to day – the road very muddy but all cheerful – the loss of both Armies will prove to be frightful – Antietam not to Compare to it. I rode over the battle fields in the afternoon with the Colonel – Although burial parties had been out all day – they were still lying in every field horrid to see – in one place I saw four rebels dead side by side as if they had been all killed at the same moment – arms, accoutrements, dead horses, broken gun Carriages added to the dismal scene. the rebel entrenchments were very strong – far more perfect than our own – and much more Carefully prepared – their barriers and rifle pits were everywhere. I rode to the field where the battle of the 1st July was fought at such disadvantage by us. It seems that Doubleday was ordered by Howard to keep the position at any cost – our firm resistance enabled the 11th Corps to take its position on the Bellevue hill and the Army to form its plan of operations – on the field in the direction of the fire of our regiment were many graves and we found some 15 of our men in the hospital – some slightly, some very badly wounded – To day we have marched not knowing exactly what was to take place and now hear that we may march back again. At present there seems to be some uncertainty about our movements – The Colonel is again in Command of brigade and I have the fragment called a regiment.our four regiments in this brigade look about as large as one ordinary one. I have dear Julia endeavored to give a sketch of all we have done – last night I again slept on a rock with a blanket over me it rained during the night and was not very comfortable, my clothes having been pretty damp for the last 48 hours – Louis too is a little lame – he struck his foot on some sharp thing in our last nights ride. The people are Coming back to Gettysburg but I have seen little or nothing of any defensive efforts of theirs. I close dear wife. Good bye. God bless you, Uncle & the children.
Your loving
Alexander
Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 6 July 1863. Rush IV:30:33