Army of the Potomac General Orders. 1863. 8vo. Contemporary one-quarter calf, spine gilt lettered. Modern custom blue morocco slipcase and chemise. 

General Henry J. Hunt's personal bound collection of approximately 122 General Orders issued to the Army of the Potomac from 5 January to 20 December 1863.

Notably, the collection includes a manuscript copy of the suppressed General Order No. 8 which dismissed General Hooker from the service. "Having been guilty of unjust and unnecessary criticisms of the actions of his superior officers, and of the authorities, and having by the general tone of his conversation endeavored to create distrust in the minds of officers who have associated with him...and for habitually speaking in disparaging terms of other officers, is hereby dismissed the service of the United States, as a man unfit to hold an important commission during a crisis like the present..."

The order is followed by a note written in red ink, dated 4 February 1882, on pages 3 and 4 of the manuscript: "Note This order was never issued, but on assuming command of the Army soon after its date, General Hooker found a copy of it in one of the desks at Genl Headqrs. I heard it or a part of it read by Genl. Hooker at the time. There was no printed copy of a No. 8 order issued in these series of General Orders for this year by Gen. Burnside. Feby 4 1882." 

Another important inclusion is General Order No. 68 issued by General Mead on 4 July 1863, immediately following the Battle of Gettysburg. He begins: "The Commanding General, in behalf of the country, thanks the Army of the Potomac for the glorious result of the recent operations. An enemy superior in numbers and flushed with the pride of a successful invasion, attempted to overcome and destroy this Army. Utterly baffled and defeated, he has now withdrawn from the contest." 

Henry Jackson Hunt (1819-1889) was the Chief of Artillery in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. His tactics were particularly important at the Battles of Malvern Hill, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, where his strategic cannon placement and judicious use of ammunition contributed significantly to the repulse of Pickett's Charge.

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