iddle , ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Bank ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁and ▁nep hew ▁of ▁Congress man ▁Richard ▁B iddle . ▁Charles ▁B iddle ▁graduated ▁from ▁Pr inc eton ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 7 , ▁where ▁he ▁studied ▁law , ▁and ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁bar ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁ ▁B iddle ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War , ▁serving ▁as ▁captain ▁and ▁company ▁commander ▁in ▁the ▁Regiment ▁of ▁Vol t ige urs ▁and ▁Foot ▁R if le men . ▁He ▁was ▁bre v ett ed ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁for ▁gall antry ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Chap ul te pec . ▁At ▁the ▁close ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Philadelphia ▁to ▁practice ▁law . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁following ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁and ▁President ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ' s ▁call ▁to ▁arms , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁colon el ▁in ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Res erves , ▁rising ▁in ▁May ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁colon el ▁in ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 2 nd ▁Pennsylvania ▁Vol unte ers ▁Infantry ▁( 1 3 th ▁Res erves ), ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Pennsylvania ▁R if les . ▁In ▁October ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Th irty - se vent h ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁vac ancy ▁caused ▁by ▁the ▁res ignation ▁of ▁Edward ▁J . ▁Morris . ▁He ▁was ▁tender ed ▁a ▁commission ▁as ▁a ▁brig ad ier