December 4, 1863: Alexander Biddle letter 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 Bridge

Dear Wife,

We are still at this place although under orders to march to Rappahannock Station. The 11^th Infantry Regulars is encamped in a wood near by and General Ayres has his Head Qts in a wood on the other side of the road. Nothing unusual has occurred today [excepting] that the 5^th Corps has passed us to the different stations which it is ordered to guard. We are not yet notified of being relieved but expect to be so tomorrow. We are told by the officers of the Penna Reserves whom we saw today that the battle beyond the Rapidan did not amount to much except wading through mud we have seen nothing of the prisoners alleged to have taken and shot. We know now that nothing was effected. We understand it to be a program of Halleck’s carried out by Meade contrary to his wishes. We hear that they believe Longstreet has joined the Rebels and we also hear of an advance of the Rebs but we dont think much of that. I was in hopes again that the military power of the Rebs would have been entirely crushed in the late engagements. From our intercourse with the people hereabouts I began to think that they have a very different opinion of our Yankee Army from what they before have had. They all speak very strongly of their desire for peace and would I think be open Unionists if they thought they could maintain their position when our Army leaves the district. Yesterday we sent up to Alexandria an old Negro man and his family. On the same train his master went up as a captured guerilla, singular alternations from captivity to freedom and the reverse. Almost every day some poor Colored people come in and ask for passes on the Railroad which they almost always get. I today wrote to Washington taking a preliminary step about sending in a resignation which I intend today as soon as he got settled. I have a lot of hope that this Congress will settle the matter and that we will have a return to peace. May God grant that it may be so and that I may soon be permitted to return to you from the trammels of the Army. I do think it an outrage to keep an officer against his will without any command he is entitled to have, but what cant be cured must be endured. I am inclined to think that unless the Rebels make an advance upon us that the campaign is closed and I trust with it that the war will soon terminate. I hence a sort of hope that there will be a separate treating of Southern States on their own behalf. I think North Carolina, Arkansas, Louisiana, & Tennessee may clearly so act and then I should not be surprised at Virginia following. Good bye beloved. May God keep us all in his holy paths and fill are hearts and minds with the constant desire to do his holy will and hope that it be fully performed in us. Love to my dear little ones to him I trust I may be permitted to care for and aid you in bringing up into good paths. Give love to Uncle. Surely Philadelphia will be a strange city when I see it again after the slight glimpse I had of it in time [last?].

Your loving husband, Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle. 4 December 1863. Rush IV:30:38