CIVIL War Jacksonville Florida Circular General Wiiliam Birney 1864

  

Jacksonville, Florida was a key port city during the Civil War. The city was a transportation center for the Confederacy's supply of food for Lee's Army and offshore was blockaded by the Union Navy. In 1864 the Federal Army at Jacksonville was defeated at the Battle of Olustee, Florida but was able to retreat to Jacksonville. The heat and malaria at Jacksonville caused many Union troops to go be disabled and discharged. An Original Civil War Circular Order issued at Head-Quarters, District of Florida, Jacksonvlille, July 30, 1864 - all commanders are to provide names, ranks and units of disabled soldiers, cause of disability and discharge dates & certificates, by Command of Brigadier General William Birney.

The Order is ink signed by Major Henry Allen. Comes w service info- Henry Allen served with the 17th Connecticut Volunteers, was wounded in action at Gettysburg and is buried in Norwalk, CT. Edge darkening, age stains, edge tears and edge hole, not affecting the text, Overall in Good Condition. Comes w service info for Major Allen. Acid free Archival repairs on tears, Overall Good Condition.

General & Special Orders were issued to communicate commands and information to the Army. Each order, issued in writing by a commander, was then printed for distribution to each unit, either at an army department headquarter or by commanders at local headquarters, sometimes in the field on portable printing presses.

The orders were then issued to regiments, often to be read aloud to the troops. General Orders were printed as issued with date & location; at the end of a year the regimental adjutant might retain them loose or simply string bind them by punching holes and stringing on ¼" red cloth string tape (the source of the old expression "government red tape). Sometimes an officer or HQ clerk might take a group of orders to a local print shop or bookbinder and have an accumulation bound with leather or cloth covers. Usually, American Military Orders of the 19.

Century including Civil War era were printed on an 8 x 5 sheet of quality rag paper. NOTE: Any repair to a paper item is listed.

I use only museum curator approved archival repair tape. All items are unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic and in the condition as described.