Military Commission to Europe in 1855 and 1856.  Report of Major Alfred Mordecai, of the Ordnance Department.  In the Senate of the United States, June 16, 1860, 36th Congress, 1st Session.  Printed in 10,000 copies with 2,000 reserved for the War Department.  George W. Bowman, Printer, 1860, Washington.

The book is approximately 9-1/4" x 11-1/2" tall, 232 pages.  Thick hardcovers in dark brown cloth, blind stamp design on front and back cover, spine is lettered in gilt.  Chipping on the spine at top front.  Front cover loose at hinges, with separation showing but still attached.  Some pulling on inside pages at stitching.  Inside front cover has book plate of F. P. Williamson.  Age toning and foxing throughout.  Overall acceptable or better with possible repairs that can be done on the spine. 

Includes 13 folding plates of small arms, fuzes, shells and various weaponry at back of book along with line drawings of ordnance.  21 full page plates including a lovely three page foldout engraving of the "Arsenal at Vienna".

Major Mordecai's report on the Military Commission to Europe is covered by the first 176 pages and includes a Table of Rifled Small Arms used in The Armies of Different Countries.  Bound in as the second section of the book is "Rifled Infantry Arms.  A Brief Description of the Modern System of Small Arms.  As adopted in The Various European Armies.  By J. Schon, Captain in the Royal Saxon Infantry, Household Brigade.  This is the second edition, revised and augmented with explanatory Plates, Dresden 1855.  Translated from the German by J. Gorgas, Captain of Ordnance, United States Army. 

Major Mordecai's report exerted a major influence on American weapon design and construction during the Civil War through his introduction of scientific methods in the development of military munitions.