Four bound volumes of special orders issued by the United States War Department and Department of the Army, for the years 1872, 1973, 1875, and 1880. All hardcovers in quarter-leather bindings with marbled boards, 7.5 x 10, primarily comprised of printed orders but also including several signed examples, with signers including Adjutant General Edward D. Townsend, John M. Bacon, Joseph C. Audenried, and William D. Whipple. Some of the more interesting orders relate to George Custer and the 7th Cavalry. For example, the War Department's Special Orders No. 155 of July 31, 1873, in part: "The sum of twenty-three dollars and fifty-seven cents, ($23.57,) being an amount reimbursed to Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer, 7th Cavalry, for expenses paid in transmitting and receiving certain telegraph dispatches…will be stopped from the pay of Lieutenant Colonel Custer, it appearing that the dispatches were either on private business or on public business not requiring the use of the telegraph." In overall very good to fine condition, with edgewear and various marginal notations.
