In late 1862, U.S. Major-General Ulysses S. Grant was concerned about the black market trade in cotton parts of the South under Union control. On December 17, 1862 Grant decided to address this by issuing General Order 11 calling for the expulsion of all Jews in the area.
1. 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 [of the Tennessee] within twenty-four hours from the receipt of this order.
2. 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.3. No passes will be given these people to visit headquarters for the purpose of making personal application of trade permits.
A few weeks later, US President Abraham Lincoln informed Gener-In-Chief Henry Wager Halleck to have Grant revoke the order, which Grant did on January 17, 1863.