Item No. 0349477

General Orders such as these were printed and distributed to the various commands as a way of spreading official information to the troops. This one, General Orders No. 182, came under the War Department header and is dated June 20, 1863 from Washington. The double-sided circular communicates the rules that applied whenever a regiment is “reduced below the minimum number allowed by law, but is of a strength above half the maximum.” For an infantry regiment: “Each regiment will be deprived of the Colonel, and one Assistant Surgeon. Each company—provided it is reduced below the minimum—will be deprived of a Second Lieutenant.”

General Orders such as these were often printed in the field by the Army's portable printing presses that began operation in 1863. Documents were also printed in local Virginia print shops near the Army, and in larger print shops in Washington and other cities. For more fascinating information about the Army of the Potomac's printing processes, Google "Civil War Field Printing" to find the National Museum of American History's informative page on the topic.

The circular measures about 5" x 7 1/4" and is in very good condition. Light wear to corners and edges. Minor toning. Creased where originally folded.