Regarding Donald Erlenkotter’s comments about Emil Sigel’s relationship to General Franz Sigel, I did not discuss the matter in my recent book “Medallic Art of the American Numismatic Society”. While I was certainly aware of their kinship, I did not think it added much to untangling the muddled history of the Lincoln Memorial medal. I am, however, quite pleased that the record has been set to right.

Thanks to Donald Erlenkotter for clarifying the relationship of General Franz Sigel and engraver Emil. Thanks to the decay in teaching American history, the general is largely forgotten today but when my late mother was in school (ca. 1908-1914) kids were given deep knowledge of the Civil War. She delighted in remembering meeting Civil War veterans, with the anecdote of an elderly German-American entering a Weinstube in Brooklyn, introducing himself to a fellow bearded veteran who exclaimed, "You fight mit SIGEL??II Zwei glas Bier!!!"

There is still a Franz Sigel monument in New York City that was nearly demolished in the Great Depression by NYC sculptors assured its restoration instead. It is said that nativists on the Union side objected to President Abraham Lincoln's promotion of "ethnic" officers for what they deemed political reasons but Sigel was a wonderful choice. Incidentally, in Sidney, Ohio, home of "Coin World" there is a monument inscribed ZUM ANDECKEN AN DEN DEUTSCH-AMERIKANISCHE FREIWILLIGEN, In Memory of the German American Volunteers of Western Ohio who fought in the War.