SIGNAL
ABBREVIATIONS
SUBJECT AREAS
CIVILWARSIGNALS

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."

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    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

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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".