The Odd Politically Connected Life of Daniel Sickles

Today, oddly, is the birthday of Daniel Sickles, an oddity because I had planned to post on his odd life just out of interest and then discovered he was, in fact, born 193 years ago to this day.  And his life was odd: Sickles was the first person in the U.S. to ever successfully assert the insanity defense.  The unarmed person he killed -- in plain sight, in the middle of the day -- was his friend, the son of Francis Scott Key. Sickles then became a general in the Union army and nearly cost the Union the battle of Gettysburg (and possibly the Civil War) when he insubordinately moved his troops, leaving a hole in the lines that was only closed at the loss of hundreds of lives. His leg was blown off in the melee by a cannon ball and both are now on display in the National Museum of Health and Medicine. Really. After the war he became the commander of a large military district in the South, from which he was relieved of duty. Later he managed to become the U.S. ambassador to Spain where it seems he had an affair with the Queen of Spain.  He then married her consort.  After he returned he held a series of minor political posts, until finally, as the chairman of the New York Monuments Commission, he was forced out after $27,000 was discovered oddly missing. Then he became a U.S. Senator again, and then blew though an inheritance of millions of dollars. But that hardly gets below the surface of his odd life nor explains the "politically connected" part of the title of this post ... there's a lot to this story.

Daniel Sickles was born on October 20, 1819, to a well off knickerbocker family in New York City. Although he trained as a printer, he then worked as a law clerk for Benjamin Butler, who was Martin Van Buren's former law partner and a former U.S. Attorney General for Andrew Jackson and Van Buren.  Sickles, probably illegally, started practicing law on his own in 1841 before passing the bar exam 1846, and was a part of the Tammany Hall political machine. His legal and political career was not known for its propriety; according to one biography:

He quickly gained a reputation for questionable practices. He was indicted for obtaining money under false pretenses, was almost prosecuted for appropriating funds from another man, was accused of pocketing money that had been raised for a political pamphlet, and charged of improperly retaining a mortgage that he had pledged as collateral on a loan.
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His political career was linked to stories about ballot tampering and theft, deceptive practices, bringing in illegal voters from other districts, and brawls (he was once thrown down a flight of stairs at a rally).

Tammany Hall at this time was just below the zenith of its corruption under Boss Tweed. Tammany Hall, by the by, was a Democratic stronghold almost from its founding and was organized into a political machine by Aaron Burr to counter the federalist Alexander Hamilton, who Burr later killed in a duel.  It was influential in preventing John Adams from being re-elected and in getting Jackson and Van Buren elected.

Sickles was then elected to the New York state legislature, where he was censured from bringing Fanny White, a madam who ran a bordello he frequented, onto the floor of the legislature.  Sickles then married at 15 year old girl, Teresa Bagiolis. This was a scandal not only because of Teresa's age but because Sickles had lived for several years in the Bagiolis's house, starting when Teresa was two years old.  Teresa was a smart, well educated lady, not incidentally, who spoke five languages. Sickles was 32 years old at the time of the marriage, and Teresa was likely pregnant.

Sickles then became the city attorney for New York City, but left the post when appointed to a U.S. delegation to England.  There he met and befriended future President James Buchanan, who was part of the same delegation.  Sickles also brought White, his madam friend, to England -- apparently leaving Teresa at home (she later joined the delegation, along with her and sickles young daughter) -- where Sickles at one point insulted the Queen and later included White in an audience with the Queen, introducing White using the surname of a political opponent in New York.

On return Sickles became a state senator, then a U.S. Senator.  It was at this time he met and befriended  Philip Barton Key II, the son of Francis Scott Key (who wrote the Star Spangled Banner); Philip Barton Key at this time was the district attorney for the District of Columbia.  In addition to Francis Scott Key's work as a lyricist (the tune of the Star Spangled Banner having come from an English club song with bawdy lyrics), he was a lawyer, too, a district attorney for the District of Columbia as his son later was, and a rabid pro-slavery advocate (his sister was, too, and married  Roger B. Taney, the Chief Justice of the United States who wrote the Dred Scott decision). Buchanan was President at this time, and he and Sickles became close friends. 

Philip Key, who was single, often served as Teresa's escort when Sickles was engaged in business as a Senator or otherwise. Eventually Philip Key and Teresa began a notorious love affair. On discovery, Sickles forced Teresa to write a confession,and  the next day saw Key, and, carrying several guns, followed him to Lafayette Square, which was next to the White House, and shot him down.

The shooting was witnessed by many people, including an aide to President Buchanan, and Buchanan arranged a superlative legal team for Sickles as well as appointing a new district attorney (Key, the former D.A., now being dead) who had never tried a case. Incidentally, one of Sickles's attorneys was William Seward, an abolitionist Democrat (and oddity then) who was later Lincoln's Secretary of State. Sickles, of course, had no legal defense for what he had done, so his legal team concocted an insanity defense.  He was acquitted.

Now, amazingly, Sickles and Teresa reconciled. The embarrassment forced them to leave Washington, and they returned to New York. Sickles was free, but he was humiliated and seemingly ruined. Then the Civil War happened.

Sickles saw his opening and began to recruit troops for the Union. If he raised enough he likely would be able to lead the troops as a general, as was the practice.  Pulling strings, incorporating regiments of recruits raised by others, eventually Sickles had a large brigade. Nonetheless, there was considerable political opposition to Sickles becoming a general or leading the men he had ostensibly recruited, and it would be over a year after he first began recruiting that he was named a general. During this period Sickles got to know Lincoln as he personally lobbied the President to be appointed a general. 

Although his troops saw action in a number of engagements, Sickles only saw a little due to various events. One exception was the battle of Chancellorsville where Sickles received word of a flanking move by Stonewall Jackson and, not being being trained militarily, thought Jackson was retreating. Jackson's flanking move is now famous; it won the battle decisively for the Confederates, though Jackson was killed by "friendly fire." Then came Gettysburg.

At Gettysburg Sickles's troops were stationed on the line on Cemetery Ridge. Sickle's, though, was unhappy with the position and thought he saw a better spot, on higher ground, over at the peach Orchard. He was wrong. He marched his men over, without permission to do so, and against orders as to his location on the line, putting them half a mile in front of the Union lines, exposing them on three sides, and leaving a hole in the Union lines.  The Confederates attacked, but delayed too long before doing so.  The 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry filed the gap, leading to an extraordinarily bloody battle.

Sickles leg was struck by a cannonball and removed.  His leg was saved, along with the cannonball, and, as noted above, is now on display in Washington, D.C.  Sickles thought he was a hero at Gettysburg, and he began publicly belittling General Meade, head of the Union forces, a campaign that Sickles enlarged on over the rest of his long life. Historians almost entirely side with Meade. Lincoln, however, was upset that Meade had not pursued Lee and gave Grant overall command. Grant, however, refused to allow Sickles to lead troops.

After the war Sickles was given several commands over the reconstruction South, but eventually was dismissed from these positions in 1967 and moved to other positions in the army. Teresa died during this period.  He retired from the military in 1969.

He was then appointed U.S. counsel to Spain as a compromise choice. There he began affairs with a number of women, apparently including, amazingly, Queen Isabella II of Spain, a heavyset woman who was the subject of intrigues by France and Britain to control her future marriage and the political direction of Spain. Sickles, though, then married a woman in the Queen's court; each, apparently, thought the other was wealthy.  Despite "issues" they had two children, but when Sickles ultimately returned to the U.S. he left them in Europe.

Sickles then held a number of minor posts, including head of the New York Monument Commission, which was in charge of the Gettysburg monuments. Somehow eventually the Commission came up short $27,000. Sickles was removed from the post. 

Sickles subsequently inherited $4 to $7 million dollars when his father died.  He was then re-elected to the United States Senate.  He took up with his housekeeper, and together they managed to spend through his inheritance.  His wife returned from Europe, meanwhile, with one of his grown children, but he refused to put them up.  This continued for years, with his Spanish wife raising money and paying some of of his debts while Sickles and his "housekeeper" ran up debts and refused to give audience to the wife. Meanwhile, Sickles continued to visit the Gettysburg battlefield, lobby for the justification of his position, with his friends in power eventually awarding him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Sickles died in his 90's in 1914.  Two months later World War I started. To this day the Gettysburg authorities have refused to allow him burial there.