February 2, 1862 (Friday): "Old Brains" Has a Headache

General Franz Sigel

SAINT LOUIS, February 2, 1862.

Major General GEORGE B. McCLELLAN,
Washington:
GENERAL: I inclose herewith extracts from General Sigel's letters, published in the German papers and translated. The German papers here are filled with anonymous attacks on the Government at Washington and on my administration here, coming, as it is well ascertained, from the German officers under General Sigel's command. They have also held a number of secret meetings in this city for the purpose of organizing a meeting among the foreign troops and an insurrection of the German population. I have succeeded in introducing police officers into some of these meetings, and their reports are conclusive as to the existence of this plot. I send you a copy of a report of a captain of police, who was present at a meeting of this kind on the 26th ultimo. I would remark that most of the officers named were here without my knowledge and contrary to my positive orders. Being ordered to move from Rolla toward Springfield, they left their regiments and came here to stir up mutiny and insurrection. Several of them belong to Sigel's immediate command.
General Sigel's name is put forward first, but he is an instrument rather than the head of these revolutionists. Letters and papers which have fallen into my hands prove that the instigators of this movement are the emissaries of leading politicians of the Fremont party, and it is expected that the result will, be means of the newspaper press, be made to inure to his benefit as against the present administration. The plan, as discussed at one of these secret meetings, was to force the Presidents to make Sigel a major-general, which would make him second in command in this department. He would then claim all the German regiments and the largest portion of the troops in this State. By this means, it was said, the Fremont party would be virtually restored to power here; and, by continually fomenting dissatisfaction among the German troops and German population, they could completely paralyze and control the action of the Government. Moreover, it was said that the General and Abolition press throughout the country would use Sigel as an instrument with which to attack me, and break down, or at lest greatly weaken, my authority and influence in this State, so that, at the proper time, the press the Germans throughout the country could demand my removal and the substitution of Sigel in the command. This having been accomplished, Sigel, his army, and the German press would required the restoration of Fremont. By a joint movement in Congress, by mass meetings, &c., it was thought that the President would finally be forced to yield. I am also told that leading secessionists in this city are cognizant of these movements and assist them indirectly.
Any yielding on the part of the Government to the demands of Sigel's friends will only add to the mutiny and insurrection, for his promotion would be but a single step in the plan. Our only safety is to put it down with a strong hand, and, when we get sufficient proof, arrest the leaders and remove them out of the department. I am fully posted in the matter and am prepared for them, but I must have the support of the Government, and the President should make no appointment of these foreign officers without consulting you. If he had appointed Osterhaus and Albert at the time I recommended they could have been kept out of this faction. Now it is too late, as they are fully committed, and ought not to be appointed. Of course this in intended to be entirely confidential.*
Yours, truly,
H. W. HALLECK.
* See McClellan to Halleck, February 6, 1862. Series I, Volume VII, p. 937.
Official Records, Series I., Vol. 8, Part 1, Page 829.
Sigel, a native German was director of city schools in Saint Louis at the start of the war.  Saint Louis had a large German population and Sigel was very popular with them.  Fremont, who had been removed for incompetence after he failed to move quickly to the aid of Lyons at Wilson’s Creek was highly regarded in the German community dating back to his days as a Presidential candidate.  He represented the western expansion of the country and political power for the nation’s newest immigrants.  His removal for incompetence did not sit well with the German community, or the Blair family who had tremendous influence politically.  Halleck was not an abolitionist, which many of the Germans were, and was a West Point graduate.  "Old Brains" Halleck was undistinguished as a field officer, skilled as an administrator, and as we see here unprepared for the intersection of political and military considerations.