Civil War Letter Collection
Theme: the involvement of Jewish individuals in the Civil War.
Letter 1:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/jewish-confederate-financier-palmetto-rifleman
This letter was sent from Charleston on January 12, 1861 from Benjamin Mordecai to Captain Alex Melchers of the Palmetto Riflemen. Mordecai was a Jewish man and a generous donor to the Palmetto Riflemen and is responding in this letter to the request of an extra meeting made by Captain Melchers for the two of them to meet.
Letter 2:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/jewish-confederate-civil-war-soldiers-jacob-valentine-recommendation-to-benjamin-mordecai
In this letter written on February 1st, 1861 in Charleston, South Carolina, to the secretary to the Governor of South Carolina, James M. Shackelford. It is a response to Benjamin Mordecai's request that Jacob Valentine be commissioned to serve the state.
Letter 3:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/isaac-leeser-asked-to-intervene-with-abraham-lincoln-to-stop-civil-war
This letter is written on May 22, 1861 by a subscriber of the Occident Periodical that goes by the name of R.A.L to Rabbi Isaac Lesser in Philadelphia. The frantic subscriber begs Rabbi Lesser to write to the president and ask him to end the war.
Letter 4:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/jewish-civil-war-surgeon-morris-asch
This letter signed by Dr. G.R. McCoy was sent to Jewish surgeon Morris Asch in response to a letter sent earlier by Surgeon Asch to Dr. McCoy claiming that Dr. McCoy was charging too much for his services and informing him that his bill was being cut in half. It was sent on November 19, 1861 from Doylestown.
Letter 5:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/Antisemitic-Civil-War-General-Benjamin-Butler-Jews-Betrayed-Savior
In this letter is evidence of anti-semitism as Benjamin Butler writes to the U.S. District General about his capture and arrest of one Shaffter who was allegedly involved in smuggling arms to the Confederate side of the war. Written on October 23, 1862, Butler says "They are Jews who betrayed their savior & also have betrayed us...".
Informative sign:
This collection of letters written by a variety of individuals are evidence of correspondence and involvement of people of Jewish faith in the Civil War. All sent by different people, the collection displays a range of emotions from appreciation to anger and open persecution. Some of the correspondents held positions of respect or power, others were looking for guidance or citing a grievance. Were you surprised by some of the opinions those involved with the war had of Jewish individuals? In the 3rd letter a subscriber begs a well-known Rabbi to write to the president to end the war. Do you think that if Rabbi Lesser had done what was asked of him and written to President Lincoln, that he would have responded? Why or why not?
Letter 1:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/jewish-confederate-financier-palmetto-rifleman
This letter was sent from Charleston on January 12, 1861 from Benjamin Mordecai to Captain Alex Melchers of the Palmetto Riflemen. Mordecai was a Jewish man and a generous donor to the Palmetto Riflemen and is responding in this letter to the request of an extra meeting made by Captain Melchers for the two of them to meet.
Letter 2:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/jewish-confederate-civil-war-soldiers-jacob-valentine-recommendation-to-benjamin-mordecai
In this letter written on February 1st, 1861 in Charleston, South Carolina, to the secretary to the Governor of South Carolina, James M. Shackelford. It is a response to Benjamin Mordecai's request that Jacob Valentine be commissioned to serve the state.
Letter 3:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/isaac-leeser-asked-to-intervene-with-abraham-lincoln-to-stop-civil-war
This letter is written on May 22, 1861 by a subscriber of the Occident Periodical that goes by the name of R.A.L to Rabbi Isaac Lesser in Philadelphia. The frantic subscriber begs Rabbi Lesser to write to the president and ask him to end the war.
Letter 4:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/jewish-civil-war-surgeon-morris-asch
This letter signed by Dr. G.R. McCoy was sent to Jewish surgeon Morris Asch in response to a letter sent earlier by Surgeon Asch to Dr. McCoy claiming that Dr. McCoy was charging too much for his services and informing him that his bill was being cut in half. It was sent on November 19, 1861 from Doylestown.
Letter 5:
http://www.shapell.org/manuscript/Antisemitic-Civil-War-General-Benjamin-Butler-Jews-Betrayed-Savior
In this letter is evidence of anti-semitism as Benjamin Butler writes to the U.S. District General about his capture and arrest of one Shaffter who was allegedly involved in smuggling arms to the Confederate side of the war. Written on October 23, 1862, Butler says "They are Jews who betrayed their savior & also have betrayed us...".
Informative sign:
This collection of letters written by a variety of individuals are evidence of correspondence and involvement of people of Jewish faith in the Civil War. All sent by different people, the collection displays a range of emotions from appreciation to anger and open persecution. Some of the correspondents held positions of respect or power, others were looking for guidance or citing a grievance. Were you surprised by some of the opinions those involved with the war had of Jewish individuals? In the 3rd letter a subscriber begs a well-known Rabbi to write to the president to end the war. Do you think that if Rabbi Lesser had done what was asked of him and written to President Lincoln, that he would have responded? Why or why not?
Great job! You met all the project's goals.
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