Major General Ulysses Simpson (a.k.a. Hiram Ulysses) Grant, commanding the compulsory Union Army of the Tennessee issues General Order 11—“the Jew Order”—expelling all “Jews, as a class violating every regulation of trade established by the Treasury Department … from the Department[of the Tennessee] within twenty-four hours from the receipt of this order.”

       In a letter to Christopher Parsons Wolcott, Assistant Secretary of War, Grant explains his reasoning: 

       I have long since believed that … Specie regulations … have been violated … mostly by Jews and other unprincipled traders. … The Jews seem to be a privileged class that can travel any where. They will land at any wood yard or landing on the river and make their way through the country. If not permitted to buy Cotton themselves they will act as agents for someone else who will be at a Military post, with a Treasury permit to receive Cotton and pay for it in Treasury Notes which the Jew will buy up at an agreed rate, paying gold.

       [restored 4/3/2022]