An Interesting Quote on Jews in the American Civil War

While I was doing some research this morning I happened upon a quote from the American Civil War on the subject of the behaviour of jews. I believe that my readers will both enjoy it and find it instructive.

To wit:

‘A Jew was arrested and brought to prison charged with having come through the army lines from Dixie, and upon being searched, previous to assignment to quarters, was found to be wrapped in a long piece of muslin in which several hundred dollars in gold pieces were carefully sewed, and his misery in seeing them ripped ruthlessly from their hiding place was extreme, equalled only by the scorn which he regarded my receipt for the much-loved hoard. After a trial which restored him to freedom, however, he presented his scorned acknowledgement, and thought better of it when it returned to his possession his treasure. The war had made money plenty, and it often fell temporarily into strange and unaccustomed hands, and from prisoners charged with bounty frauds I received as high as twenty or thirty thousand dollars in notes and bonds — the results, doubtless, of their rascality.’ (1)

References

(1) N. T. Colby, 1878, ‘The “Old Capitol” Prison’ in Alexander Kelly McClure (Ed.), 1878, ‘The Annals of the Civil War Written by Leading Participants North and South’, 1st Edition, The Times Publishing Company: Philadelphia, p. 505