Franz Sigel papers
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Abstract
Franz Sigel was a German American general during the American Civil War who was enormously popular with German immigrants. His papers include correspondence, including correspondence from President Abraham Lincoln; military materials, which includes battle orders and maps; and other personal writings and ephemera. Many of the materials in this collection are in German. Portions of this collection relating to the Civil War have been digitized and are available to on-site researchers and to users affiliated with subscribing institutions via EBSCOhost.
Biographical Note
Missing Title
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.
Arrangement Note
This collection is arranged into seven series which are arranged chronologically.
Franz Sigel Papers
- Series I: Correspondence
- Series II: Legal Documents
- Series III: Professional and Political Documents
- Series IV: Military Documents
- Series V: Writings
- Series VI: Clippings, Ephemera, Tributes
- Series VII: Family Papers
Scope and Content
The Franz Sigel Papers consist mainly of correspondence and military materials. The correspondence, which includes Sigel's as well as some of his family members, spans over important periods in history, such as the German revolution of 1848, waves of German immigration into the United States, and the American Civil War. The military papers include correspondence, reports, orders of battle, and maps. There are also a number of Sigel's writings and translations as well as materials that others have written in his honor. Although many of the military documents are in English, most of Sigel's personal documents are in German.
In part because Sigel was a high-ranking military officer during the Civil War whose rise was suspected to be due to political maneuvering than military prowess, there are a number of letters written to President Abraham Lincoln, both from and concerning Sigel. There are also copies of letters and dispatches with Lincoln's signature. Please note that manuscript items written by U.S. Presidents and other notable figures will only be delivered to researchers in a photocopy format. Researchers can also access most presidential papers through their published form. See staff for more details.
Portions of this collection relating to the Civil War have been digitized and are available to on-site researchers and to users affiliated with subscribing institutions via EBSCOhost.
Lincoln Correspondence
- Box 1/Folder 10: Copy of Lincoln's order to form the Army of the Potomac
- Box 1/Folder 12: Copy of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 1/Folder 12: Draft of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 1/Folder 12: Draft of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 1/Folder 13: Copy of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 1/Folder 14: Copy of dispatch from President's Office
- Box 1/Folder 14: Copy of letter to Lincoln from Offciers of the Eleventh Corps
- Box 1/Folder 12: Drafts of letter to Lincoln from Officers of the Eleventh Corps
- Box1/Folder 14: Copy of letter to Lincoln from Officers of the 3rd Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry
- Box 1/Folder 15: Copy of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 1/Folder 15: Draft of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 1/Folder 15: Draft of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 2/Folder 2: Draft of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 2/ Folder 2: Draft of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
- Box 2/ Folder 2: Draft of letter from Sigel to Lincoln
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Families
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Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation Note
This collection should be cited as the Franz Sigel Papers, MS 565, The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Franz Sigel Papers were given to New-York Historical Society by Mrs. Robert P.J. Barry in 1946. The oversized maps in Series III, Subseries E were gifted from Franz Sigel III in 1985.