Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/383

 SIGEL

SIGEL

U.S. v., Nov. 29, 1862, and accepted March 29, 1863; commanded the 3d army coi'ps, Army of the Potomac, under Gen. Joseph Hooker, in the Chancellorsville campaign and was cut off with Iiis corps from communication with Gen. Hooker, but ordered a bayonet charge and got back into position on the right flank. He commanded the 3d army corps. Army of the Potomac, under Gen. George G. Meade in the battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3, 1863, where on July 2 his force of 10.009 men was overcome by a force of 15,000 un- der General Longstreet, his command was shat- tered, and lie was wounded in the right leg, ne- cessitating amputation. He was sent on a special mission to South America in 1865; was appointed colonel of 42d U.S. infantry, July 28, 1866; was brevetted brigadier-general, March 2, 1867, for Sirvices at the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., and major-general the same date for services at Get- tysburg, Pa., and also received the congressional medal of honor for " most distinguished gallantry in action at Gettysburg, Pa., July 2, 1863, dis- played on the field, both before and after the loss of his leg, while serving as major-general of volunteers, commanding the 3d army corps." He commanded the military district of the Caro- linas, 1865-67; refused the mission to Nether- lands and was honorably mustered out of volun- teer service, Jan. 1. 1869, and was retired from the regular army with the rank of major-general, April 14, 1869, for loss of limb. He was U.S. minister to Spain, 1869-73, chairman of the New York civil service commission, 1888-89; shei'iff of New York in 1890; a Democratic representative from New York in the 53d and 54th congresses, 1893-97, and on Nov. 8. 1903, he was elected com- mander of the Medal of Honor Legion.

SIQEL, Franz, soldier, was born at Sinsheim, Baden, Germany, Nov. 24, 1834. He attended the classical school of Burchsal, and was graduated from the military academy of Carlsruhein 1843. He participated in the revolutionary strug- gle in Baden in 1848, winning military dis- tinction, and in 1849 he was exiled from Germany. He immi- grated to America in 1853, settled in New York city, and for five years was en- gaged in engineering, surveying and school teaching. He removed to St. Louis in 1857, becoming an instructor in the German- American institute in that city, and IX. — 24

in 1860 was a director of the board of education. In April, 1861, he organized the 3d Missouri vol- unteer infantry and a battalion of artillery, and entered the St. Louis ai'senal to aid in its defence. He participated in the affair at Camp Jackson, and then, commanding the 2d brigade of IMissoun volunteers, marched to intercept Jackson, and engaged him at Carthage, July 5, 1861. He was outnumbered four to one. and after a sharp en- gagement made a skillful retreat. His next engagement was at Deep Springs, Mo., where he fought under General Lyon. At Wilson's Creek, on Aug. 10, 1861, he marched a portion of his brigade to the rear of the enemy's camp, and made a successful attack, driving the enemy into the woods, but when General Lyon's troops had been repulsed, the enemy brouglit up an over- whelming force and drove him back. He made a good retreat, until, deserted by his cavalry, he was surprised by some Texan rangers, and most of his troops were killed or captured. With a mere handful of men he marched to Springfield, where he was joined by Sturgis. He was com- missioned brigadier-general of volunteers, to date from May 17, 1861, and was given command of a division in Fremont's army. General Hunter made him commander of Springfield, and when Halleck assumed command Sigel was sent to Rolla. to prepare two divisions for active service in the field. In General Curtiss's advance Sigel commanded these two divisions, and at the battle of Pea Ridge, March 7, 1862, was second in com- mand. While the battle was in progress he marched with two divisions around to Van Dorn's right flank and rear, thus compelling him to withdraw. He was commissioned major-general of volunteers, March 21, 1862, was tnmsferred to the east, and on June 1 took command of the troops at Harper's Ferry and at Maryland Heights. He followed Jackson on his retreat to Winches- ter, and on June 25, 1863, was given command of the 1st corps, Army of Virginia, under General John Pope. He was engaged at Cedar Mountain, Va., Aug. 9, 1862, and then with his own corps. General Banks's, and a division of the ninth corps, he fought on the Rappahannock, and at daylight on August 29 attacked Jackson near Groveton. Sigel was reinforced by Hooker's and Kearney's divisions and waged a fierce battle, but Jackson, finding shelter behind a railroad em- bankment, stood his ground, and when Pope arrived in the afternoon he assumed general com- mand, and Sigel remained with his corps through the rest of the battle. His corps was transferred to the Army of the Potomac, as the eleventh corps, and when Burnside divided his armj' into grand divisions, Sigel commanded the fourth, or reserve grand division, made up of the 11th and 12th corps, but was obliged by ill-health to