July 1, 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 colonel.

Transcript:

(Wednesday July 1st 1863) hearing the sound of Artillery all the time.at last we passed the brow of a hill on a pretty broad road leading into Gettysburg and saw a large number of Cavalry – we first formed in a field and then got orders to move further to the right– We did so, got into a wheat field by a point of woods through which we saw the troops of Wadsworth’s division charge driving the enemy – we remained in this field for several hours always under fire – sometimes of shell sometimes of solid shot which tore up ground and broke around us but did no harm the enemy in front and in strong force on the right so that their Artillery bore on us from both points– We changed our front frequently and made many as I thought unnecessary moves by Doubleday’s orders. Saw the fighting on our extreme right– Saw at this point two lines of rebels come down to attack our troops one supporting the other, this attack was so far successful that it extended at last over to Wadsworths division, which we changed front to the right to support – here shell flew thickly round us Transportation was hit in the leg by a minie– we were then attacked on our left (our former front) by two lines of rebels, both of greater extent than our four regiments. we changed front to the left and after a great deal of ordering we got two regiments on the right and two on the left of the battery firing towards them, my regiment being on the extreme left but largely overlapped by the advancing rebels – the Artillery fired on them but they came on beautifully in perfect order until just as their heads showed over the grain on top of the hill – we poured in a volley receiving a severe fire in return – outnumbered by a double line we fought hard gave them fire for fire but found them coming up on our left. The[y] were not more than 30 yds off firing on us briskly Trans was twice hit and our men fell fast we moved back broken to an open wood surrounding a hospital and here made a stand. When Trans was hit the second time I thought he was done for he was struck in the fore shoulder by a minie and [I] dismounted as he could hardly go on and I feared his falling with me. We fought in the wood and here I saw the Colonel on horseback, Soon I saw a black horse which I recognized to be his galloping towards me riderless– I caught him by the bridle succeeded in stopping him and sent him by one of the men to find the Colonel – he could not and brought him back to me. I mounted and directed the men as well as I could, they lay down behind a fence and returned the rebel fire with great sharpness, bullets were striking everywhere and men falling – back of us was a large brick house used as a hospital a theological seminary I believe I rode round this up to the front of the line and here saw the Colonel he had received a scalp wound in the back of the head but was still on his feet and went to the hospital for a few moments– I rode out with the Colonel of the NYk 20th to the left and saw the line of rebels advancing to outflank us and reported it to General Rowley – he told me to take command and bring the broken troops there– I tried to do so as well as I could but the rebels on our left got in and the men retreated behind the hospital down to the road here the Colonel sent me word he would like to have his horse– I waited till he crossed the high steps of the hospital entrance and assisted him to mount just as the retreating Artillery began to rush down the road at a gallop into the town– I saw Rowley, Doubleday and staff going off as hard as they could drive from the Corner of the hospital enclosure under fire– Rowley had behaved very well and did so all through – he could do nothing else. I walked along the road with the fugitives into Gettysburg – a man receiving a wound almost every moment and the noise of Artillery shots in the houses and the smack of a ball against wood work occurring every moment– I stopped to get some water at a well which one of my men got in a tin cup, when an officer seized on it and he told him it was for the major – the officer said I want it for a wounded man, I told him to take it which he did to a house close by – and got other water before he returned. I continued on the street with the men – turning a corner I saw the rebels in full sight and was the last man left at that point excepting a soldier who said I will have another shot and turned and fired his musket with perfect calmness. I walked down the street along with the fugitives and finally came to a regiment of the 11th Corps– I asked if they had been in action and found they had just come up and fugitive troops were forming behind them beyond the Bellevue Cemetery on top and on the other side of the hill– here I found General Wadsworth, said a few words to him and here I met an orderly of General Buford’s with Transportation, whom I claimed– He had gotten off of the field and made for the Cavalry by whom he was picked up about two hundred yards beyond the hospital grounds – he had been robbed of his blankets by the Cavalry and turned over to an orderly of General Buford’s who had lost his horse. I mounted him soon saw our division flag and afterwards the Colonel on his horse. I gathered my men together and got them along with the rest of the Brigade. We went into battle with 6 officers besides myself and 256 men we have at night by my report 1 officer (Dorr) present and 65 men Our loss as we now believe is as follows 8 killed– 4 officers & 59 men wounded—1 officer and 124 men missing– many of these are undoubtedly killed or wounded – Lieut Powel sick from the Ambulance Corps joined us in the night. Capt Sterling Capt Ashworth are both wounded, also Lieutenants Ruth and Funk, many of our best men killed. Lambdin & Etting, both staff officers, are safe, also the Colonel – Hall and myself. I have a minie ball through my Coat. Transportation has three wounds and one in the shoulder – we alone that is the first Corps I believe with one Division of the 11th fought both Ewell and Hill – each it is said with About 16000 men and we about 8000 strong held them the whole day. I have reason to thank God for my merciful preservation and I trust the obstinacy of the fight will be emulated by the other Corps. If it is there is no doubt of success. As we marched up the hill in the Evening a beautiful rainbow spanned the Eastern sky. I hailed it as a sign of promise for I believe if ever men fought under a sense of duty all do so now. May God guide us and be merciful to us.

Your loving husband

Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 1 July 1863. Rush IV:30:33