An evocative and unusually content-rich Civil War–date commercial billhead from Union-occupied Alexandria, Virginia, tying a named local tradesman directly to the army sutler supply chain.

The lithographed billhead is headed "Alexandria, Va., Jan 26 1863," with the ornate banner display type typical of the period reading "Bought of PHILIP FLETCHER, Bread, Pie and Cake Baker, No. 4 South Fairfax Street." Below the imprint, a printed pointing-hand (manicule) draws the eye to the proprietor's advertisement: "Brown and Graham Bread constantly on hand. Sutlers supplied at short notice." — a direct, printed solicitation of the civilian merchants who followed the Federal armies.

Made out to "Mr. E. B. Gales," the itemized manuscript account reads:

• 200 Pies @ $5.00 per hundred ......... $10.00 • 2 Barrels Ginger Cakes @ $4.75 ......... $9.50 • 1 Barrel Buns @ $4.50 ......... $4.50

The figures total $24.00, the bill marked "Recd Payment" over the Fletcher imprint and signed in a clerk's hand ("R. G. Boorman"). The institutional scale of the order — pies by the hundred, cakes and buns by the barrel — reflects provisioning for troops in the field rather than household trade, fully consistent with the printed sutler solicitation.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Alexandria fell under Union control in May 1861 and remained occupied for the entire war, serving as one of the Federal government's principal supply, hospital, and transportation hubs in the Eastern Theater. South Fairfax Street lay at the commercial heart of the occupied city. Bakers like Fletcher fed not only the local population but the vast logistical apparatus of the army — much of it funneled through licensed sutlers who resold goods to soldiers in camp. Wartime Alexandria imprints survive in fair numbers, but examples that name a specific tradesman and explicitly advertise to sutlers offer a tangible, documentary link to the day-to-day commerce that sustained the Union army.

MEASUREMENTS: Approximately 7½ inches wide.

CONDITION: Old mailing/storage folds with light toning and scattered foxing, and a few small stains as shown; printed and manuscript content strong and fully legible throughout. A displayable, research-friendly Civil War Alexandria document.  [ss] [ph:L]

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