In the Spring of 1864, General US Grant knew he would have greater success against General Lee if Grant could damage Lee's supply lines from the Shenandoah Valley. With this in mind, he expected General Siegel to not only prevent a Confederate threat to Washington DC, but to also end the food supplies in the Shenandoah Valley that Lee was using.
US General Grant forced the Shenandoah Valley campaign. Grant placed Major General Siegel in charge of the advance on the Shenandoah Valley campaign. Grant had no true confidence in Siegel and finally General Sheridan replaced Siegel and marched on the Valley.
With Lieutenant General US Grant using his Overland campaign against the forces of General Lee, Grant wanted to insure the safety of Washington DC. Grant's plan was to have Major General Franz Siegel to join forces with Brigadier General George Crook who was advancing from West Virginia. Together, there would be 15,000 troops. Grant believed that these combined infantry forces plus a large cavalry force was enough to discourage Confederates in the Shenandoah Valley from menacing Washington DC.
Union General Franz Siegel's advance into the Shenandoah Valley was cut short by Confederate General John C. Breckinridge. Breckinridge's army of 5,000 troops defeated Siegal's army at New Market, forcing a Union retreat.
When Major General Franz Siegel had been defeated by Confederate General Breckininridge and Colonel Mosby in the Shenandoah Valley, Grant had no choice but to replace him. On May 19, 1864, Grant appointed Major General David Hunter to head the Army of the Shenandoah. Hunter was a Virginian, who had been a solid Unionist. It appeared that Grant had found the right general to insure the Union's integrity in the vital Shenandoah Valley.
In 1864, Lieutenant General US Grant had tasked Major General Franz Siegel with ending any threats the Revels could mount against Washington DC but to also shut down the lines of supply from the Valley that were going to Lee's army. The Confederates were forced to respond to this and sent a better qualified Major General John Breckinridge to stop Siegel. Breckinridge was once a US vice president. He had also been a corps commander under Braxton Bragg. The Rebel general was short on troops, but had the luck of being supported by cavalry officers who knew the Valley like the back of their hands. This included Colonel John Mosby who was an actual native of the Valley. Siegel's supply train had been captured in early May. This was a major distraction for Siegel who failed to link up with Union General Crook, as was the plan. At the Battle of New Market, the Federals under Siegel were defeated.
Although General Franz Siegel was once a German army officer, he gained his appointment as a US Civil War general for political reasons. President Lincoln had to make many political appointments that served in the Union army. He gained praise early in the war by his recruiting efforts in Missouri. As General Grant would soon see, Siegel was not up to the tasks Grant expected in the battle intensive state of Virginia.
It's Siegel.
Don Siegel's birth name is Donald Siegel.
Charley Siegel's birth name is Charles S. Siegel.
There is no public information available about the death of Martha Siegel.
Arthur Siegel was born in 1923.
Kip Siegel was born in 1923.