page_title: Franz Sigel
section_title: Civil War
hierarchical_section_title: Franz Sigel / Civil War
caption_attribution_description: English: Looking north and up at statue of w:Franz Sigel at Riverside Drive and West 106th Street, late on a sunny afternoon
context_page_description: Franz Sigel was a German military officer, revolutionist and immigrant to the United States. In the US he was a teacher, newspaperman, politician, and served as a Union Major general in the American Civil War. His ability to recruit German-speaking immigrants to the Union armies got him the approval of President Abraham Lincoln. But he was strongly disliked by General-in-Chief Henry Halleck and rated overall as a poor leader.
context_section_description: At the start of the Civil War, Sigel volunteered to support Abraham Lincoln and the Union cause. Because of his military experience, he was given command of the Third Missouri Infantry. He recruited many German-Americans to the Union cause with the slogan, "I goes to fight mit Sigel." His commission as Colonel held a date of rank of May 4, 1861. Because he was a key figure in recruiting immigrants to the Union army, President Lincoln had him promoted to Brigadier general two weeks later.
  In the meanwhile, he was attached to Brigadier general Nathaniel Lyon's Union Army of the West. Sigel and his soldiers helped put down a riot the St. Louis area. The incident was known as the Camp Jackson Affair. He led a Flanking maneuver at Battle of Wilson's Creek, surprising and attacking the Confederate forces from their rear while Lyon attacked them from the front. On March 8, 1862, at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Sigel commanded two division (military)s in the victory against Major General Earl Van Dorn (CSA).
  Sigel was promoted to major general after the battle of Pea Ridge. He served as a division commander in the Shenandoah Valley and fought unsuccessfully against Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. He commanded a Union corps at the Second Battle of Bull Run.Here he was wounded in the hand.
  In early 1863, Sigel lobbied the War Department for more troops. But his requests were refused. In early 1864 he was given command of the Army of West Virginia. In 1864 his army was defeated in the Battle of New Market. This loss and his failure to prevent Confederate attacks in Northern Virginia led to his removal from command. Although he remained in the army until May 1865, he was not given another command.
caption: Riverside Drive, New York City
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