1862 February 12 Alexandria, Va.

Alexandria, Va. Feby 12th/62

Dear Sam[uel Ritter]

Yours of the 7th came duly to hand-
contents noted-
Much obliged for your attention about that
commission--I have concluded The Examining
Board you speak of- is non est- in these parts
haven't ear a word of it for weeks past--
I have mailed several newspapers to you & will
continue to do so--no trouble at all--the
concert announced in it is as you suppose
on the "pretty waiter girl" order--but th does
not argue much for our civilization--Sorry
to hear of "Fitus" departure & hope he'll make
out well--

I have just been reading an account in
the Washington Star--of the evening--of
the glorious victory at Roanoke Island--
its a great pity--"old man Wise" was not
caught in addittion[sic] to his son--he would
have made a splendid "stuffed Paddy"
to hang out about this time next month--
while we hear of such glorious doings in other
parts--fancy our "phelinks" --in policing such
a nest of "Secession" as Alexandria--

We have had a terrible excitement here ever

[page 2]
since the arrest of the Secesh Preacher last
Sunday- (which I believe the paper I sent you gave an
account of) mobs & crowds have been the order
of the day--on Monday afternoon the "Local News"
(Secesh) -- appeared in an article justifying Genl.
Montgomery in his course & pitching into the
Chronicle for its morning editorial--early
on Monday evening a party of the 88th visited the
News' office--& smashed things generally. type
forms press &c were upset & smashed by turns--
some of the high dignitaries intimaded[sic] that
the building could not stand--that was enough
for the "boys"--next we see smoke coming out of
the house, thick & fast "the machines" were brought
out & put into service--but not a man with 88th
uniform on-- raised a hand to stop the fire--it was
finally drowned out--nothing daunted--it acci-
dently of course--took fire in another place--& this time
got beyond control--it spread all over the house
& then into the two adjoining ones--lighting up
the town as if it was noonday--the 88th was stron
-ly represented on the ground standing back ad
-miring the beauty of the scene and at the same
time warming themselves--all this time the engines
stood in the streets idle--for want of men to work
them--after burning out 3 dens of Secession, the
fire seemed to stop of its own accord--its a pity
tat we don't wake up some morning & find
the town on fire in two or three dozen places

[page 3]
then we would place the engines around Uncle
Sams property & let her rip--

The fire on Monday night set the ball in motion
& next in order must be a flag raising on Stewarts
Church (the place w[h]ere Secesh congregate)--Genl. Montgomery
got wind of it & placed Co J (Capt White) of
our Regiment to guard it--so of course things
had to go on peaceably--after a good deal of parly-
-ing with a good prospect of a riot--Capt. White
swung the flag out but according to orders would
allow nobody in--the mob went away satisfied
-this morning Co. J determined to make the
Church their Headquarters--took down the
flag & put up their own Compy-flag-sending
the other one down to Co. E. to whom it belonged
Co. E men got mad--& assisted by Co. K & one
of the Cavalry companies quartered here--marched
around to the church determined to put up
their flag--Capt White being a determined man
& having orders to arrest anybody disposed
to disturb the peace--it for sometime looked
like hot work--all that was necessary would
have been to fire the first shot--& I have no
doubt we would have had -- a terrible riot--
a Sergeant of Co. E (the ringleader) was arrested
& placed in double irons--which effectually
settled that business--what folly it is for men
establishing Companies lives in this manner
say Compy J's flag--Comp'y E's flag & so on-- when

[page 4]
the stars & stripes floated over the church--what
was the use of a mob collecting to gratify some
petty jealousy by putting up another flag--
if they wanted to put one up--why did'nt
the[y]give the Reverend Traitor a call & hoist
it over his house--the flag raising mania
has caught every company in town--Co. D.
was in no way behind hand--& flags around
our quarters were in demand--noted Secession-
-ists were called on & made to put them out--
a "Secesh" who keeps a lager beer saloon next door
was compelled to wet a company flag (which we
run out this afternoon) by a Keg of Lager--it
was fun to see the subterfuge adopted to keep
from passing under the hated red, white & blue
the flags were in most instances placed over
the centre of the front door--"Secesh" must find
some other way to get out of the house--in one instance
they made their ingoings & outgoings through
the cellar--in another case through the side
alley--& soon-we will have to fix the colors
so, on the front of their houses that they will
be either compelled to pass under them--or go
over the back fence--orders have been issued
all through town, that the soldiers should be
compelled to stay in quarters--which makes things
quiet through town to night--Genl. Montgomery
is strongly suspected of sympathy for Secession, the course
he is pursuing looks mighty suspicious :
I have some more letters
to write to night so I
must close--Respects to all
Yrs &c George

[the bloggers would be delighted to hear from anyone who knows more about the events described]

George Emil Wagner, 1842-1904, of Philadelphia County Pa., began the war as an orderly sergeant with the 88th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and rose to be Lieut. Colonel of the 9th United States Colored Troops. He was later the keynote speaker at the dedication of the 88th Pennsylvania's Gettysburg monument in 1889.
MSS 11174