Today in the Civil War

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:

Head Qrs 121 Reg PV

Friday April 24, 1863

Dear Julia

I have your letter of 18^th inst. I wrote you a long one about out foolish expedition to Port Royal – remarkable only for its being perfectly objectless as far as our General was Concerned and for the utter indifference to the Comfort of the men – We have now had two more days of raining and blustering weather It makes me wonder how it Can be with you – here on the 24 April it is as raw and blustering as sharp March weather with us and scarcely has a blade of grass grown long enough for a horse to nibble it indeed fields hardly look green. So I understand Matthew has left you for good and John Fox has taken his place – it is a good riddance – Dear little Jule can hardly be as meek as her Mamma from what you tell me I hope she will prove as good. I am anxious to see the joining of Aleck’s letters and Harry’s too – I suppose I shall soon have a glimpse of them I trust Miss Wilson will prove all you anticipate she comes from a good source – You must select the name yourself Eugene or Adolph – they are both you know of my suggesting and you must help now we have got down so near a choice – there is too great a pleasure to me in you making a choice how I wish I could arrange everything so as to please you and make you happy and comfortable – I trust I may be permitted to return to pass many years of happiness in your society – with our dear children – I sometimes think I see signs of the war terminating and hope the suppression of armed vessels leaving British ports for the Confederate with the news from Vicksburg will have good fruits in the future I feel dear wife that I have need of all your prayers and don’t doubt but that they are heard and your husband shielded from much which has befallen others through our Heavenly father’s return to our Petitions. May he bless and keep you all at Chestnut Hill and grant us a Speedy restoration in peace never to part

Your loving husband

Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 24 April 1863. Rush IV:30:30

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 (excerpt):

Camp near Belleplains

Virg

Head Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

April 22^d 1863. Wednesday

Dear Julia

A few moments since I rec’d your letter of 16^th inst. My lovely and lovable wife you have been again in your patient gentle way putting up with annoyance for my sake which I would not have had you endure even for a single moment. You have been partially victimized by Annie Campbell’s humbuggery. I have been so accustomed to hear and disregard her good reasons for being made uncomfortable that it never occurred to me in what a different light she would appear to you in my absence. – I don’t want you to try again. Accept Uncle’s irritation by all means and you need have no reason for it except that you intend to do that next winter What a blessing it is to always have such a kind friend as Uncle in time of need – I sent you a letter to Uncle’s house 712 Walnut St by Mr Stone containing $800 which is all for yourself to do anything with you please it always does give me great pleasure to think that I can in any way do anything which can promote your comfort or contribute to any feeling you wish to indulge it – I suppose after you get it you will for a little while feel independent of any one except Uncle. Tell Uncle I so heartily wish I was with him and you – little Eugene Adolph or Tom you must make a choice is a beautiful little picture – he evidently intends that he shall be heard in this world to begin with he creates the impression on my mind of a fine thriving well to do little body who will soon want his Papa to keep him in order – the Papa is very anxious to begin early – and renew his acquaintance with Miss Jule Aleck Harry and Winny who love the dear [illeg.] house as he does…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 22 April 1863. Rush IV:30:30

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 (excerpt):

Head Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

Camp near Belleplains Virg

April 19^th 1863 Sunday

Dear Julia

I enclose herein $800. It is almost all the pay I have received for the last six mos and will aid you somewhat without the necessity of calling on the office which you seem to dislike – Of course if you dislike to keep so much by you, you need not can send what you please to the office to be credited to my account – I don’t want you to say anything about what it is unless to Uncle – The Paymaster arrived this morning or rather yesterday and commenced paying this morning our regiment were all paid in the forenoon – The Paymaster is Sam Henry a brother of Mayor Henry and Charlton Henry. In the afternoon we rose over to dine with Col Wister of the 150 and remained there until near Sundown We saw the dress parades of a number of regiments – We hear again to day of rumored success towards Gordonsville and hope it is true but we have had so much of that sort of thing that we hardly feel as if we had a right to expect it We have not yet marched but are holding ourselves in readiness so to do at any moment and may be will go very soon – A few days since I sent home my bed frame which may go direct to you from Washington by Adams Express or may go by Lieut Hoyt to Philadelphia Hoyt is a very well known character in Philadelphia and will probably send it to the house if he takes it with him – He was formerly known as a gambler in Philad but it is said has endeavored to earn for himself a good reputation in the Army and has been Commissary to the Brigade – I only mention this that you may know all about persons whom I mention…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 19 April 1863. Rush IV:30:30

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 (excerpt):

Camp near Belleplains Virg

Head Qrs 121 Reg PV.

Wednesday April 15^th 1863

Dear Julia

I today got your note and your dear picture of the little one and your sweet self by Lieut Habe who joined us today. The picture is no doubt a perfect likeness of the dear little one but his early expression I think gives him a right to be supposed to have a will of his own – your own sweet face, your bonnet too were inexpressible delights to me and made me long for the happy day when I shall move towards home – I also got this evening a long letter from Uncle for which I have greatly to thank him and read every word of it with great pleasure I think he always judges rightly of others and hope I shall always do just what he thinks ought to be done for I do most heartily concur in every view he expresses, he tells me not to answer his letters and to do so through you On the Review Rush’s lancers were the closing part of the Cavalry pageant – I wrote to you a pretty full description – The Regular Cavalry which came first were most remarkable for their clean dresses and exact lines but the closing part of the review was the formation of the lancers in line of battle facing the President which they did rapidly and with great precision – they looked as well moved with as much facility and in short made a most brilliant appearance They are a fine Corps As fine as any in the Army – as well officered and as well drilled but from some unknown Cause they are always on detached duty at different head Quarters or by themselves and are very much sneered at by those who have been through the rough and tumble of Army life…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 15 April 1863. Rush IV:30:30

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 (excerpt):

Head Qrs 121 Reg P.V.

Camp near Belleplains

April 14^th Tuesday

Dear Wife

We will probably start tonight for no one knows where. but we are ready and packed waiting orders We are not to make may fires and the idea seems to be to make a quiet move Some where I trust this expedition May meet with better success – As we have been unsuccessful twice perhaps the third time all will go well – I do not know when I shall next be able to write to you and can only hope that God in his mercy will watch over and grant us a safe and happy return to each other I have been thinking about names and if you have named the dear little one let it stand – I will however give a name if you will not choose and it will be Thomas it has always been a good name in our family and I see no reason why there should not be two of that name in out own family Circle – there always have been –…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 14 April 1863. Rush IV:30:30

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 (excerpts):

Camp near Belle Plains Virg

Head Qrs 121 Reg PV.
April 12^th 1863 Sunday.

Dear Julia

Yesterday I concluded my three days tour of picket duty which began on the 8^th and ended yesterday morning – it was a stupid business being with detachments of new regiments who have to be instructed in every thing. I was obliged to visit the whole picket line three times in each 24 hours and to do it as I thought it ought to be done took from ½ to three hours – I had very pleasant weather however – two of my Lieutenants Dorr and Raymond were with me for the first 31 hours but after they went to their outposts and the old ones became the reserves I had a very different set – the best one of the new officers told me he had been a child in the upper part of Schuylkill County that as a boy for many years he worked on the Schuylkill Canal boats have since been farmer horse dealer butcher tavern keeper billiard table keeper and said everything would have slipped through his fingers had it not been for a good wife – he spoke to me quite feelingly of how he used to sell a glass of liquor for 5 cents to a man whom he knew ought to spend it on bread for his children and how after discussing the matter with his wife he gave up the business – he also told a straightforward story of how he sold a nearly blind horse to a farmer and seemed to relish how he took him in greatly – when I say this man was one of the best of these officers you may imagine the tone of the rest – one I find playing cards with five or six of his men – at one of the outposts at night I walked off with four muskets before any one knew I was there and the man who first found it out didn’t know where they had gone to I was stopped three times from passing the posts in broad daylight by sentinels I had spoken to – who had not yet got to comprehend that any body in the world could do anything with them but their Captain…

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

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 (excerpt):

April 10^th 1863

Last night after returning from visiting outposts and advanced sentinels which took me from ½ past three lit a little piece of Candle and opened the little prayer book you gave me at the 27^th psalm Look at it and tell me if you don’t think it rather Comforting to a soldier It was the 27^th psalm not the 26^th – Look at the twelfth verse When I read it I thought of you and what a guide and counselor I have found in you and how you have led my steps which have been prone to wander back to paths which I would choose to follow – If you read this psalm and picture to yourself a tired body coming back from a long night walk from sentinel to sentinel you will I think see in it a sort of peculiar application to the time place and circumstance which I hope is a good omen – I am now going to close my letter to be ready when the boy comes out from camp to send it back to go by mail

Good Bye Beloved

Your loving

Alexander

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), autograph letter signed to Julia Williams Rush Biddle, 10 April 1863. Rush IV:30:30

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 (excerpt):

Head Quarters picket line

April 8^th 1863

Relieved the picket posts under charge of Captain Osborne at 10 O’clock A.M. visited the two reserve picket posts – the eleven outposts and the advanced sentinels in the forenoon. between 12 & 1 Mrs Howe from outside the picket line passed in with a team her son and a negro boy Arthur on a pass from Genl Patrick  to expire on 10^th inst her object being to go to Washington to procure clothing. A Lieutenant of the Signal Corps passed out on the night of the line – with a pass to expire on the 30^th inst. Jenkins a farmer on the right of the line presented a pass allowing him to go outside of the lines to ^procure again &c expire on the 15^th inst – approved this pass for the day (8^th inst) Col Stone Army Corps [FG?] visited picket at one Oclock

Mrs Howe, servant Arthur passed back at 5:10 in the afternoon visited sentinels outposts and reserves between six and returning at eight Oclock – visited sentinels outpost and reserves between two Oclock returned at 4 Oclock Dr Ashton passed out in last evening on a pass from General Patrick – The surgeon on the 157^th Reported in the afternoon…

Citation: Alexander Biddle (1819-1899), notes. 8 April 1863. Rush IV:30:30