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Harper's Weekly 1862 part 4 of 4

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•i»<br />

658<br />

HARPER'S WEEKLY.<br />

MAJOR-GENERAL SIGEL.<br />

MAJon-GKNKRAi, FRANZ SioBL, whew portrait<br />

ire give on the preceding page, was bom at Baden,<br />

in Germany, in 1824, and li consequently thirty,<br />

eight years <strong>of</strong> age at the present time. He was<br />

educated at the military school at Carlsruhe, closed<br />

hU course with honors, and obtained a high posi<br />

tion in the army <strong>of</strong> his country. In the year 1847<br />

lie was esteemed by his brother <strong>of</strong>ficers the most<br />

scientific artillerist in Germany. When the rebel<br />

lion broke out he took sides with the insurgents,<br />

lost hia commission, and took service with the pop-<br />

ular <strong>part</strong>y. At one time he was in chief command<br />

<strong>of</strong> the popular army, and managed by a skillful<br />

retreat, in which he led away 80,000 men from a<br />

punning army <strong>of</strong> 80,000, and saved all his guns<br />

and trains, to elicit the warm eulogiums <strong>of</strong> the old-<br />

est soldiers in Europe. At the overthrow <strong>of</strong> the<br />

relwllion Sigel emigrated to this country.<br />

Here he engaged in teaching, and fairly settled<br />

down to the dull life <strong>of</strong> a pr<strong>of</strong>essor, and married<br />

the daughter <strong>of</strong> the principal <strong>of</strong> his academy.<br />

About (he year 1858 he obtained a position in a<br />

college nt St. Louis, and removed thither. When<br />

the rebellion broke out he tendered his services to<br />

the Government, and WBB given the command <strong>of</strong><br />

tlie 2.1 Regiment <strong>of</strong> Union Volunteers, raised in St.<br />

Louis. He was soon appointed Brigadier-General,<br />

and accompanied General Lyon on his famous cam<br />

paign against Price. At the battle <strong>of</strong> Springfield,<br />

where Lyon was killed, Sigel succeeded to the com-<br />

tuund, and withdrew our little army with skill and<br />

auccws. He subsequently commanded a corps<br />

throughout the bloodless campaign under Fremont;<br />

and when General Curt is was detached to operate in<br />

Arkansas, Sigel led one <strong>of</strong> his divisions. It is un<br />

derstood that he planned and won the great battle<br />

<strong>of</strong> Pea Riilge almost against the wlshss <strong>of</strong> his supe<br />

rior, General Curtls. After the battle some diffi<br />

culty about commands arose, and Sigel was called<br />

to Washington and given the command <strong>of</strong> <strong>Harper's</strong><br />

Ferry. On the organization <strong>of</strong> the Army <strong>of</strong> Vir<br />

ginia a place was created for him by the resigna<br />

tion <strong>of</strong> General Fremont, and he accordingly took<br />

command <strong>of</strong> hia army corps. In all the terrible<br />

battles which Pope fought in order to delay the<br />

advance <strong>of</strong> Lee against Washington Sigel took an<br />

active <strong>part</strong>. At the Rappahannock MB cannon In<br />

cessantly thundered; and though the enemy out<br />

numbered him by at least five to one, he held them<br />

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