The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1868-07-09
GENERAL GRANTS MISSISSIPPI
ORDER

The following letter, written BY Genera
Rawlins in reply to an inquiry from gen
tleman at Louisville, explains the grounds
upon which General Grant issued an ordel
expelling Jews from the lines of the army
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE U. s.
WASHINGTON, May s, 1858.
SIR: Your letter relating to the order Of
General Grant, dated Oxford, Mississippi
December u. 1862, expelling Jews as a
class from his department., is before me
You are doubtless awase that General
Grant has never, either by himself or
through the aid of friends, attempted to de-
TEND any military order which the emergen-
cies of the serxice seemed at the time to re-
Quire. However, as my name is attached to
it as ass stan Adjutant General, it may not
be improper to state that at and previous to
its date our military affairs were in most
critical condition, and important movements
we're Transporting. General Sherman was
collecting forces at Memphis and Helena.
General Grant was moving steadily against
Pemberton, at Grenada, keeping UP appear
ances of immediate attack, to divert his at
tention from Sherman and in cooperation
with Grant. Dodge was moving south from
Corinth. The success of Grants plans de-
pended in keeping the enemy in ignorance
of his real purpose namely, the surprise
and capture of VicksbuTg by Sherman |; and
it was therefore of the utmost importance
that every avenue of information to the en-
envy should be closed. q.
The most stringent orders had previously
been published, forbidding persons going or
coming through our lines, limiting traders to
certain boundaries, and prohibiting the pas
sage of coin South or the payment of it for
Southern products. Persistent violations of
these orders by persons, principally Of the
Jewish race, were the subjects of constant
reports by many of General Grants subordi-'
mates, some of whom had even issued orders
expelling them from the lines, but which
General Grant had promptly revoked. Re-
ports of the same character were also receiv-
ed from other than military sources. At
length. on the evening of December II, 1862,
The date of the order, the mail brought from
W ashineton large number of complaints,
fl ill, referred to him by the General-in-
Chief of the army against this class of per-
sons for ,i1lati of the above mentioned
orders. The General felt. on reading them,
hat some immediate action was demanded
If him. He realized to its full extent the
critical condition of military affairs, and
judged, whether wisely or unwisely, that to
meet the exigency action must be immediate, /
borough, and in a form not to be eraded.
The order you refer to was the result. 1t
vas written and telegraphed to his subordi-
lates, without revision, leaving al! persons
lot justly amenable to its terms to be TelieE-
d on their individual application.
The idea that it was issued on account of
he religion of the Jews cannot be seriously |
ntertained by any one who knows the Gen
rails steadfast adherence to the principles of
american liberty and religious federation.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
~ JOHN A. RAwLINs.
To LEWIS n. DEMBITs, Esq, Louisville,
y. $4,000.