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Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles

 

 

 

Born: October 20, 1819

New York City, New York

Died: May 3, 1914

New York City, New York

 

 

 

June 20, 1861: Colonel

September 1861: Brigadier General

of Volunteers

March 11, 1863: Major General

1866: Colonel

1869: Retired as Major General

Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles

Notably known for the homicide of his wife's lover, U.S. Attorney Phillip Barton Key II. Pleaded not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. First time used in legal defense in U.S. history.

March 1857-March 1861: House of Representatives from New York

Recruited New York regiments which which became the Excelsior Brigade in the Army of the Potomac

Despite his lack of military experience, served in the Brigade, Division, and Corps commander

June 20, 1861: Appointed Colonel of 70th New York Infantry

September 1861: Promoted to Brigadier General of Volunteers

March 1862: Forced to relinquish his command when Congress wouldn't confirm his commission, lobbied his political contacts and reclaimed his rank and command in time to join the Army in the Peninsula Campaign

May 31-June1, 1862: Battle of Seven Pines leading the Excelsior Brigade

June 25-July 1, 1862: Seven Days Battle

Absent from 2nd Bull Run after obtaining  leave to go to New York City to recruit troops

Missed the Battle of Antietam because the III Corps was stationed on the lower Potomac protecting Washington

December 13, 1862: Battle of Fredericksburg - Sickles division was held in reserve

March 11, 1863: President Lincoln appointed Sickles Major General

July 1-3, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg - ordered to take up defensive position on the Southern end of Cemetery Hill. Was unhappy to see Peach Orchard with a slightly higher terrain to his front.

Meade was apart with Sickles movement, but it was too late to withdraw to his original position. A Confederate assault by Lieut. Gen. Longstreet and the division of Maj. Gen. McLaws smashed Sickles Corps. In the battle, Sickles was wounded by a cannonball which mangled his right leg. His leg was amputated that afternoon.

Sickles ran a campaign against Meade's character after Gettysburg.

1865-1867: Commanded the Department of South Carolina, Department of the Carolinas, Department of the South and Second Military District

Pursued reconstruction on a basis of fair treatment for Blacks and respect for the rights of employees. Stopped foreclosures and made wages farm laborers the first lien of his crops. He outlawed discrimination against Blacks and banned the production of whiskey.

1866: Appointed Colonel of the 42nd U.S. Infantry

1869: Retired with the rank of Major General

1869-1874: U.S. Minister to Spain

1893-1895: U.S. House of Representatives from New York

Boatner, Mark M. III. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: David McKay, 1967. p 760

Brady's National Photographic Portrait Galleries, photographer. Portrait of Maj. Gen. Daniel E. Sickles, officer of the Federal

          Army. [Between 1860 and 1865] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2018666488/>.

Daniel Sickles. 5 May 2022. web. 18 May 2022.

Hessler, James A. Sickles at Gettysburg. New York: Savas Beatie, 2015.

Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Blue Lives of the Union Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State, 1964. p 446-447

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