Edward Carrington Elmore (about 1826 – death date unknown, likely 1926) served as the Treasurer of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. His signature appears on collectible

Confederate currency The Confederate States dollar was first issued just before the outbreak of the American Civil War by the newly formed Confederacy. It was not backed by hard assets, but simply by a promise to pay the bearer after the war, on the prospect of Sou ...

, and he designed several of the Confederacy's coins.

Biography

Elmore was a well-educated native of Columbia, South Carolina. He was a descendant of General John Archer Elmore. 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, AlabamaCunningham, 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 Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...

recommended Elmore as its first treasurer, a decision endorsed by the Confederate States Secretary of the Treasury

Christopher Memminger Christopher Gustavus Memminger (german: link=no, Christoph Gustav Memminger, translit=Christopher Gustavus Memminger; January 9, 1803 – March 7, 1888) was a German-born American politician and a secessionist who participated in the format ...

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 bo ...

. 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. However, Elmore initially stayed on as Treasurer under Trenholm. In August 1864, Elmore accused John Moncure Daniel, the controversial editor of the '' Richmond Examiner'', of slandering him by accusing Elmore and Secretary of State Judah P. Benjamin of gambling away government funds at a private club. When no retraction was forthcoming from the newspaperman, Elmore demanded a

duel A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two people, with matched weapons, in accordance with agreed-upon Code duello, rules. During the 17th and 18th centuries (and earlier), duels were mostly single combats fought with swords (the r ...

. 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 John N. Hendren (1822 — 1898) was a Virginia attorney and judge who served as the second Treasurer of the Confederate States of America, serving during the last year of the American Civil War. Hendren was born in Staunton, Virginia. He was the ...

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