Year: 1865

From the Alexandria State Journal of,,Tuesday we
take the particulars of the riot which occurred in that
city on Christmas day, and which was briefly men
toned in the Commercial yesterday morning


No city ever presented greater scene of riot and
disorder than did Alexandria yesterday. Whisky
flowed in streams from many of our restaurants and
from some it was dealt out literally to the coored
people as to the whites Early in the morning it was
observed by our quiet citizens that all the young


reconstructed gentlemen of the city were well arm
ed and the grayest fears were expressed lest co-
people before the day These fears ere M
without foundation, for rioting commenced at an
had assumed such fearful proportions that Mayor
Wade found it necessary to call upon the military
brick to whom the Mayor made his application tele-
graphed Gen. Augur for orders, and that gentleman
at once teegraphed back to use what number of
then at its height in the city.


Three companies of Hancock's veterans were at
once ordered out and proceeded to arrest every one
found engaged in roting and disordery conduct
The military did not commence their operations any
too soon-lndeed not soon enough-,for many persons
they appeared on the of action. Notwithstand-
ing the Mayor requested of the military authorities
that all persons engaged in rotous conduct be ad-
monished go peaceaby to their homes it was found
necessary to arrest between fifty and hundred of the
ring leaders of the various disturbances then going
on throughout the city, who mostly sent to the
slave pen, where they were compeed to remain du-
ring the balance of the day and night Some Of them
were this morning released, while the more guilty
are still in confinement


So many reports were prevalent this morning of
shootings and cold blooded murders that any one


listening to them would have thought that the dark
est and bloodest days of the French Revolution had
been re-enacted in our midst. But we happy to
be able to contradict majority of the reports which
so freely banded about this forenoon If one
half OF them were true we could not have the cour-
age to recite them. Some fifty or one hundred col
ored men were badly beaten, but so far as we have
been able to learn, two badly injured as to
preclude the hope of recovery. One of these was
John Anderson, who was shot in the head and the
other was Robert E. Sanders, who had his skull
badly fractured. Both of them are now in hospital
and at o'clock neither of them were expected to
live longer than few hlurs. About dozen persons
were arrested. and are now in prison charged with
completely in the riot in which these men received
their injuries,
Ourng the day most unprovoked riot is said to
nave occurred at Chappel Hall. corner of Duke and
Washington streets, where number of colored peo-
pie were holding party. A white man by the name
of MITCHELL who is said to have participated in the
riot. seriously wounded in the head and at one
O'Clock this afternoon his death was currently re-
ported. From other sources we have heard that his
injuries were very slight and that no fears were en-
tertained OF serious results from his wounds.


The day was one of fear and trembling for all
quiet and well disposed persons, and had it not been
for the interpostion of the military authorities the
worst fears of this portion of our community would
have been more than realized We thank them for
their assistance and for suppressng what al or time
promised 70 be q most fearful riot,