---

ABBREVIATIONS

As a rule to be observed in abbreviations of words, omit their vowels and one letter of every doublet.

The following are the exceptions to this rule:

1. When a word begins with a vowel, retain that letter.

2. Words with a consonant at the begining and end, and a vowel or two in the middle, must be spelled in full.

3. When two or more words have the same consonants similarly located, at least one of their distinguishing vowels must be used, as "impasbl" for impassible, and "imposbl" for impossible.

4. When the omission of one letter of a doublet will form another word, both letters will be retained, as "lattr" for latter, not "latr" which would signify later.

The general order promulgating [the forgoing, as well as the abbreviation list below] was prefaced with the suggestion that the lack of familiarity with them on part of the officers and sergeants conducting [signal] stations would be "deemed a proof of neglect of duty, and of the incompetency of the delinquent."

Download abbreviations in pdf format
(for future referance or study)

		A.	~ After			Mil.	~ Militia, Military
		Abt.	~ About			Min.	~ Minute
		Abv.	~ Above			Mk.	~ Make
		Acct.	~ Account			Mr.	~ Mister
		Adv.	~ Advance			Mv.	~ Move
		Agn.	~ Again			Mxd.	~ Mixed
		Agnst.	~ Against
		Amb.	~ Ambulance			N.	~ Not
		Ambsd.	~ Ambuscade			Nd.	~ Need
		Amt.	~ Amount			N.J.	~ New Jersey
		Ans.	~ Answer			Nm.	~ Name
		Apr.	~ Appear			Nr.	~ Near
		A.Q.	~ All Quiet			Num.	~ Number
		Ard.	~ Around			Nvr.	~ Never
		Art.	~ Artillery			Nw.	~ Now
		Arv.	~ Arrive			N.Y.	~ New York
		B.	~ Before			Obs.	~ Observe
		Bat.	~ Battery			Ofcr.	~ Officer
		Batt.	~ Battalion			Off.	~ Official
		B.B.B.	~ Use Black Flag			Oftn.	~ Often
		Bgn.	~ Begin			O.K.	~ All Right
		Bhnd.	~ Behind			Opp.	~ Opposite
		Blk.	~ Black			Ord.	~ Ordnance
		Bn.	~ Been			Ovr.	~ Over
		Bnk.	~ Bank
		Brig.	~ Brigade, Brigadier			Pa.	~ Pennsylvania
		Brv.	~ Brave			Pnt.	~ Point
		Bst.	~ Best			Pntn.	~ Pontoon
		Bt.	~ But			Psd.	~ Passed
		Btn.	~ Between			Psngr.	~ Passenger
		Bvt.	~ Brevet			Pst.	~ Past
						Pt.	~ Put
		C.	~ Can
		Cal.	~ Calibre			Q.	~ Quiet
		Canding.	~ Cannonading			Qk.	~ Quick
		Canstr.	~ Canister			Qrs.	~ Quarters
		Capt.	~ Captian
		Cav.	~ Cavalry			R.	~ Are
		Ch.	~ Church			Recd.	~ Received
		Chng.	~ Change			Regt.	~ Regiment
		Chrg.	~ Charge			Req.	~ Requisition
		Civ.	~ Civil, Civilian			Rev.	~ Revolution
		Cld.	~ Could			Riv.	~ River
		Clr.	~ Clear			Rprt.	~ Report
		Cmpl.	~ Compile			Rpt.	~ Repeat
		Concl.	~ Conclude			Rqst.	~ Request
		Co.	~ Company			R.R.	~ Railroad
		Com.	~ Communication			R.R.R.	~ Move a little to the right
		Comy.	~ Commissary			Rvl.	~ Reveal
		Certf.	~ Certify
		Crtn.	~ Certain			Schur.	~ Schooner
		Cwt.	~ Houndred-weight			Se.	~ See
						Sec.	~ Second
		Dbt.	~ Doubt			Sep.	~ Separate
		Deg.	~ Degree			Sevl.	~ Several
		Delvr.	~ Deliver			Shl.	~ Shall
		Dept.	~ Department			Shld.	~ Should
		Dft.	~ Defeat			Smk.	~ Smoke
		Dist.	~ Distance			Sn.	~ Seen
		Dk.	~ Dark			Snd.	~ Send
		Div.	~ Divsion			Stmr.	~ Steamer
		Dn.	~ Done
		Dr.	~ Doctor			T.	~ The
		Dwn.	~ Down			Thm.	~ Them
						Thn.	~ Then
		Elvn.	~ Eleven			Thr.	~ Their
		Elvt.	~ Elevate			Ths.	~ This
		Emb.	~ Embark			Tht.	~ That
		Embs.	~ Embrasures			Tl.	~ Tell
		Eny.	~ Enemy			Tm.	~ Time
						Tmbr.	~ Timber
		F.	~ For			Tn.	~ Train
		Fd.	~ Ford			Trps.	~ Troops
		Fld.	~ Field			Twds.	~ Towards
		Flnk.	~ Flank			Twn.	~ Town
		Fm.	~ From			Twr.	~ Tower
		Fnt.	~ Front
		Fst.	~ First			U.	~ You
		Ft.	~ Fort			Ur.	~ Your
		Fw.	~ Few			Upn.	~ Upon
		Fwd.	~ Forward			Upr.	~ Upper
						Usl.	~ Usual
		Gal.	~ Gallon			Usls.	~ Useless
		G.B.	~ Gun-Boat
		Gd.	~ Good			Va.	~ Virginia
		Gen.	~ General			Ves.	~ Vessel
		Gov.	~ Government			Vet.	~ Veteran
						Vig.	~ Vigilant
		H.	~ Have, Has			Vol.	~ Volunteer
		Hd.	~ Head			Vt.	~ Vermont
		Hd. Qrs.	~ Head Quarters			Vy.	~ Very
		Hld.	~ Hold
		Hr.	~ Hear, Here			W.	~ Word
		Hrd.	~ Heard			Wds.	~ Words
		Hvy.	~ Heavy			Wgns.	~ Wagons
		Impt.	~ Important			Whn.	~ When
		Imy.	~ Immediately			Whr.	~ Where
		Inft.	~ Infantry			Whs.	~ Whose
		Inst.	~ Instant			Wht.	~ What
						Wi.	~ With
		Jas.	~ James			Wl.	~ Will
		Jn.	~ Join			Wld.	~ Would
		Jst.	~ Just			Wlk.	~ Walk
						Wr.	~ Were
		Kp.	~ Keep			Wrk.	~ Work
						Ws.	~ Was
		Ldd.	~ Loaded			Wtr.	~ Water
		Lft.	~ Left			W.W.W.	~ Use White Flag
		Lieut.	~ Lieutenant
		Lk.	~ Look			Xlnt.	~ Excellent
		L.L.L.	~ Move a little to the left			Xpdtion.	~ Expedition
		Lng.	~ Long			Xpos.	~ Expose
		Maj.	~ Major			Y.	~ Why
		Majty.	~ Majority			Yest.	~ Yesterday
		Manvr.	~ Manoeuvre			Ys.	~ Yes
						Yr.	~ Year

NEXT PAGE

According to General Orders No. 7, dated Office of the Signal Officer, Washington D.C., May 25th 1863
* * * *
F.L.L. stands for "Fire Little to the Left of Last Shot"
F.L.R. stands for "Fire Little to the Right of Last Shot"
* * * *
(sign'd) Leonard F. Hepburn, Capt. and Signal Officer

S.O.E. stands for "Shells Go Over the Enemy of Battery".