Weird History: 43

The Chosen People

It was called General Order 11 and it was the instruction for expulsion of all Jews in military districts during a war—but it wasn’t World War II and the person who issued the order wasn’t Hitler. It was then Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the order was issued in December 17 1862 during the Civil War. Grant was convinced that “mostly Jews and other unprincipled traders” were controlling the black market trade in Southern cotton in Tennessee, and Kentucky.

President Lincoln revoked the order a few weeks later following an outcry of protest from Jewish community leaders as well as the press and Congress. Grant later shifted the blame to a subordinate, claiming he had written the order and that Grant had just added his signature without reading the document.

On A Side Note: Lincoln had five brother-in-law’s who fought for the Confederacy. Four were all brothers of Mary Todd Lincoln: David, George, Samuel, Alexander (both Alexander and Samuel were killed during battle).. The fifth one (brother-in-law), who married Emile Todd, named Benjamin Hardin.