It was this day in 1862 that Major-General Ulysses S. Grant issued his controversial General Order No. 11 . It was this order that called for the expulsion of Jews in Tennessee , Mississippi and Kentucky . That is, he ordered the Jewish people to vacate his military district. “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,” read the Order. Word of the Order traveled slow. Cesar Kaskel, a Jewish gentleman from Paducah , KY , made haste to Washington and pleaded personally to President Abraham Lincoln. When Lincoln learned of this Order, he immediately ordered it repealed. On This Day is a prompt I started this month to further explore historical events. I will make every effort to keep events localized to that of my research or research I am conducting for others. However,...
by Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman