Anti-Semitism In The Civil War

Ulysses S Grant on December 11th 1862 made his contentious Special Order Number 11, expelling Jews from Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.

In the middle of the Civil War, Union General Ulysses S Grant started a blatant incident of antisemitism. On December 11th 1862 in Oxford, Mississippi, he issued General Order Number 11, which called for all Jews with in his jurisdiction to be expelled. The New York Times denounced the order and Grant. Order Number 11 was a response to the illegal smuggling of Confederate cotton. After pressure from Jewish leaders, President Abraham Lincoln had the order rescinded in January 1863.

General Order Number 11 read, “The Jews, as a class violating every regulation of trade established by the Treasury Department and also department orders, are hereby expelled from the department within twenty-four hours from the receipt of this order. Post commanders will see to it that all of this class of people be furnished passes and required to leave, and any one returning after such notification will be arrested and held in confinement until an opportunity occurs of sending them out as prisoners, unless furnished with permit from headquarters. No passes will be given these people to visit headquarters for the purpose of making personal application of trade permits.”