Edward Carrington Elmore (about 1826 – death date unknown, likely 1926) served as the Treasurer of the

Confederate States of America The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. His signature appears on collectible Confederate currency, and he designed several of the Confederacy's coins.

Biography

Elmore was a well-educated native of

Columbia, South Carolina Columbia is the List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of South Carolina. With a population of 136,632 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is List of municipalities in South Carolina, the second-largest ...

. He was a descendant of General

John Archer Elmore John Archer Elmore (21 August 1762 – 24 April 1834) was an American military officer and politician. Born in Virginia to a Quaker father, Elmore nonetheless joined the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Biography Elmore was born ...

. He received his education at South Carolina College. He became a prominent banker and married the daughter of a prominent family, Caroline Elizabeth Sims, on April 7, 1852. Shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War, he moved to

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...

Cunningham, Sumner A., ''Confederate Veteran'', Confederate Southern Memorial Association, Sons of Confederate Veterans, 1916. pp.150-51. Shortly after the creation of the Confederacy, President Jefferson Davis recommended Elmore as its first treasurer, a decision endorsed by the

Confederate States Secretary of the Treasury The Confederate States Secretary of the Treasury was the head of the Confederate States Department of the Treasury. Three men served in this post throughout the Confederacy's brief existence from 1861 to 1865. List of Secretaries of the Treasury ...

Christopher Memminger and ratified by the

Provisional Confederate Congress The Provisional Congress of the Confederate States, also known as the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America, was a congress of deputies and delegates called together from the Southern States which became the governing body ...

. He took office on March 6, 1861. In his official capacity, Elmore had to receive, count, keep, and disburse government funds in cooperation with the Congress and other agencies. All requisitions drawn upon the national treasury had first to pass Elmore's inspection before they could assume the form of executive warrants. Even a warrant approved by the Comptroller and sanctioned by Memminger was subject to Elmore's review before being paid. Memminger resigned his post as Secretary of the Treasury on July 18, 1864, and was replaced by fellow South Carolinian

George Trenholm George Alfred Trenholm (February 25, 1807 – December 9, 1876) was a South Carolina businessman, financier, politician, and slaveholding planter who owned several plantations and strongly supported the Confederate States of America. He was a ...

. However, Elmore initially stayed on as Treasurer under Trenholm. In August 1864, Elmore accused

John Moncure Daniel John Moncure Daniel (October 24, 1825 – March 30, 1865) was the US minister to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1854-1861. However, he is best known for his role as the executive editor of the '' Richmond Examiner'', one of the chief newspapers of th ...

, the controversial editor of the ''

Richmond Examiner The ''Richmond Examiner'', a newspaper which was published before and during the American Civil War under the masthead of ''Daily Richmond Examiner'', was one of the newspapers published in the Confederate capital of Richmond. Its editors viewe ...

'', of slandering him by accusing Elmore and Secretary of State

Judah P. Benjamin Judah Philip Benjamin, QC (August 6, 1811 – May 6, 1884) was a United States senator from Louisiana, a Cabinet officer of the Confederate States and, after his escape to the United Kingdom at the end of the American Civil War, an English ba ...

of gambling away government funds at a private club. When no retraction was forthcoming from the newspaperman, Elmore demanded a duel. The two opponents met on Belle Isle, and Elmore wounded Daniels with his first shot. One sympathetic former soldier later wrote, "The result of this duel occasioned as many hearty congratulations among the true Confederates in Richmond as if it had been the announcement of a victory by General Lee over the Federal army."''National Tribune'', December 29, 1891.
Retrieved 2008-10-07. Daniels was as much depised by the Union prisoners of war held in Richmond as he was by the Confederate soldiers and government officials. One Yankee deemed him "this beast of an editor." The much depised Daniels survived his duel with Elmore, as well as those with nine other men, only to die of natural causes in late March 1865 just before Richmond fell to the Union army. Shortly afterward, Elmore resigned his position as Treasurer and was replaced by John N. Hendren on October 10, 1864.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elmore, Edward C. Confederate States Department of the Treasury officials Politicians from Columbia, South Carolina Politicians from Montgomery, Alabama People of Alabama in the American Civil War American duellists 1826 births Year of death missing