Biographical Note

Franz Sigel was born on November 18, 1824 in Sinsheim in the Grand Duchy of Baden, what is now modern day Germany. His military career began upon his graduation in 1843 from the Military Academy at Karsruche when he joined the Grand Duke of Baden's army. His time in the army was short though, because Sigel resigned his commission in order to partake in the the Revolutions of 1848 in Germany. Sigel was rather notable among the revolutionaries because he had actual military experience. After the Prussians put down the revolution, Forty-Eighters (those who had supported the revolution) fled Germany in droves. Sigel was one of those Forty-Eighters and lived in exile in Switzerland, France, and England.

At some point after the revolution, Sigel married Elsie Dulton with whom he eventually had five children, which included three sons and a daughter: Rudolph, Paul, Franz Jr., and Lulu. No information is available about the fifth child. Sigel's granddaughter, Paul's daughter, Elsie, was a missionary among Chinese immigrants in New York City. She gained notoriety 1909 when there was extensive newspaper coverage of her sensational murder allegedly committed by one of the immigrants she had been helping.

In May 1852, Sigel, like many Forty-Eighters before him, came to the United States and settled in New York City. Sigel began building his ties with the German immigrant community when he established the German-American Institute in New York City with his father-in-law, Rudolf Duton. Sigel taught mathematics, history, and languages at the Institute. Sigel also taught at the German Turner Society, which was an institution that believed in mixing learning and exercise. During this period Sigel was also active in the 5th New York Militia. Sigel then moved to St. Louis in 1857 to become a professor at the German-American Institute there. In 1860 Sigel was elected director of St. Louis' public schools.

Like many other Forty-Eighters, Sigel was considered a progressive who opposed slavery. When the American Civil War began on April 12, 1861, Sigel was ready to join the fray. He was commissioned as a colonel of the 3rd Missouri Infantry in the Union Army on May 4, 1861. Soon Sigel became a household name--at least in German households. In what was considered a political maneuver, President Abraham Lincoln promoted Sigel to the rank of brigadier general. The reason for this promotion most likely had something to do with the rallying cry from German immigrants—"I goes to fight mit Sigel." (There was also a popular civil war song with that slogan for a title.) Sigel was a significant help when it came to recruiting German immigrants for the Union Army. Interestingly, there were several Civil War generals who were German Forty-Eighters including Carl Schurz, Louis Blenker, and Alexander Schimmelfennig.

Unfortunately Sigel's recruiting successes did not carry over to the battlefield. There were some notable victories during the early years of the war, such as the Battle of Pea Ridge which took place on March 7-8, 1862. However, Sigel's American military career was punctuated by a resignation in 1861, which he did in protest over being replaced, and numerous losses on the battlefield. Although he was removed from active command, Sigel managed to stay in Lincoln's good graces due to his popularity with the German immigrants. On May 15, 1864, Sigel suffered an embarrassing loss at the Battle of New Market where the Confederate force had a number of cadets from the Virginia Military Institute whose average age was eighteen. Sigel continued in the Union Army without active command until his second and final resignation on May 4, 1865.

As a civilian, Sigel kept active in politics. He attempted to run for New York Secretary of State in 1869, but he was defeated by Boss Tweed's candidate. Boss Tweed was a political machine boss. He is associated with Tammany Hall, a notorious New York political machine which was founded in 1876, devoted to Democrats, and fueled by Irish immigrants. In 1886, Sigel was appointed U.S. Pension Agent for New York and he held the position until 1889. On August 21, 1902 Sigel died in New York City.

Sources:

Stephen D. Engle, Yankee Dutchman: The Life of Franz Sigel Louisiana State University Press, 1999.

"Franz Sigel," Civil War Trust, available at http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/franz-sigel.html.

"Franz Sigel," Encyclopedia Virginia, available at http://encyclopediavirginia.org/Sigel_Franz_1824-1902

"Gen. Franz Sigel Dead," N.Y. Times, Aug. 22, 1902.