Spiegel was born in the hamlet of Abenheim, Germany, near the city of Worms, on December 8, 1829, to a Jewish family that had lived in Germany since the sixteenth century.[2] While peddling in Ohio he met Caroline Hamlin, daughter of a prominent Quaker. They married and moved to Chicago, Illinois where she studied Judaism and German-Jewish cooking. She converted to Judaism in 1853 in Chicago.[3] He was the older brother of Joseph Spiegel, founder of Spiegel Catalog.[4]
CareerEdit
Spiegel volunteered for the Union Army and soon rose through its ranks. He wrote over 150 letters to his wife Caroline during the course of the war, most of which still survive. In one of his letters wrote:
I am [in] favor of doing away with the institution of Slavery...never hereafter will I either speak or vote in favor of Slavery; this is no hasty conclusion but a deep conviction.[5]
In late 1862 Spiegel was transferred to the recently formed 120th Ohio Volunteer infantry, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He was officially commissioned colonel on March 20, 1863, and took formal command of the regiment.[6]
He served at the Battle of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863). Soon after the fall of Vicksburg, he was badly wounded by an exploding shell. Spiegel survived the incident and was sent home to recuperate, and in March 1864 he returned to front line duties.[6] Several weeks after his return, Confederate forces succeeded in ambushing the Union transport ship City Belle, at a location near Snaggy Point on the Red River, during the Red River Campaign in Louisiana. The result of the ambush was a disaster for the Ohioans; most of the 120th infantry were taken prisoner. Spiegel was again wounded by a shell burst; this time fatally.[6] He died of his wounds on May 4, 1864.
NotesEdit
^McPherson, James M.; Lamb, Brian (May 22, 1994). "What They Fought For, 1861-1865". Booknotes. National Cable Satellite Corporation. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
^Immigrant Entrepreneurship German American Business Biographies: "Modie Spiegel, along with his younger brothers Sidney and Arthur, expanded their father’s erstwhile Chicago furniture retail business into one of America’s leading mail order firms, the Spiegel Company" retrieved December 3, 2015
Soman, Jean Powers, and Byrne, Frank L., A Jewish Colonel in the Civil War, Marcus M. Spiegel of the Ohio Volunteers, Published by the University of Nebraska Press Retrieved May 2012
USA Narrative History. Vol. 1. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. p. 323.
marcus, spiegel, december, 1829, 1864, highest, ranking, jewish, officers, army, during, american, civil, served, 67th, 120th, ohio, volunteer, infantry, during, course, became, staunch, abolitionist, served, siege, vicksburg, mortally, wounded, during, river,. Marcus M Spiegel December 8 1829 May 4 1864 was one of the highest ranking Jewish officers in the U S Army during the American Civil War 1 He served in the 67th and 120th Ohio Volunteer Infantry During the course of the war he became a staunch abolitionist He served at the Siege of Vicksburg and was mortally wounded during the Red River Campaign in May 1864 Marcus M SpiegelBornDecember 8 1829Abenheim GermanyDiedMay 4 1864 1864 05 04 aged 34 Louisiana U S NationalityAmericanOccupationU S Army officerTitleColonelRelativesJoseph Spiegel brother Timothy Spiegel Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksEarly life and education EditSpiegel was born in the hamlet of Abenheim Germany near the city of Worms on December 8 1829 to a Jewish family that had lived in Germany since the sixteenth century 2 While peddling in Ohio he met Caroline Hamlin daughter of a prominent Quaker They married and moved to Chicago Illinois where she studied Judaism and German Jewish cooking She converted to Judaism in 1853 in Chicago 3 He was the older brother of Joseph Spiegel founder of Spiegel Catalog 4 Career EditSpiegel volunteered for the Union Army and soon rose through its ranks He wrote over 150 letters to his wife Caroline during the course of the war most of which still survive In one of his letters wrote I am in favor of doing away with the institution of Slavery never hereafter will I either speak or vote in favor of Slavery this is no hasty conclusion but a deep conviction 5 In late 1862 Spiegel was transferred to the recently formed 120th Ohio Volunteer infantry and was promoted to lieutenant colonel He was officially commissioned colonel on March 20 1863 and took formal command of the regiment 6 He served at the Battle of Vicksburg May 18 July 4 1863 Soon after the fall of Vicksburg he was badly wounded by an exploding shell Spiegel survived the incident and was sent home to recuperate and in March 1864 he returned to front line duties 6 Several weeks after his return Confederate forces succeeded in ambushing the Union transport ship City Belle at a location near Snaggy Point on the Red River during the Red River Campaign in Louisiana The result of the ambush was a disaster for the Ohioans most of the 120th infantry were taken prisoner Spiegel was again wounded by a shell burst this time fatally 6 He died of his wounds on May 4 1864 Notes Edit McPherson James M Lamb Brian May 22 1994 What They Fought For 1861 1865 Booknotes National Cable Satellite Corporation Retrieved May 5 2019 Powers p 1 Retrieved May 2012 Spertus edu Immigrant Entrepreneurship German American Business Biographies Modie Spiegel along with his younger brothers Sidney and Arthur expanded their father s erstwhile Chicago furniture retail business into one of America s leading mail order firms the Spiegel Company retrieved December 3 2015 Americanjewisharchives org Retrieved May 2012 a b c Marcus M Spiegel Find A Grave References EditSoman Jean Powers and Byrne Frank L A Jewish Colonel in the Civil War Marcus M Spiegel of the Ohio Volunteers Published by the University of Nebraska Press Retrieved May 2012 USA Narrative History Vol 1 McGraw Hill Companies Inc p 323 External links EditMarcus M Spiegel at Find a Grave Jewish history com Jean Soman webpage University of Nebraska Press One of Spiegel s letters at Jewish history com Images of Spiegel Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marcus M Spiegel amp oldid 1145175277, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
