Customer Reviews

Sickles the Incredible: A Biography of General Daniel Edgar Sickles

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There are few characters in history, let alone American Civil War Generals, as controversial as Daniel Sickles. That his story remains so obscure defies explanation.

W.A. Swanbergs book opens with perhaps the most notorious chapter in Sickless long life, the killing of his wifes paramour in the shadow of the White House and the first use of the temporary insanity defense in American jurisprudence.

I expected the remainder of this book to be anticlimactic and was gratefully disappointed. Swanberg is admittedly an exuberant fan of Sickles, perchance affording him more credit than his due, but the amazing facts of his life seem to deserve more attention than other historians have provided. A man of obvious contrasts, Sickles was a Tammany Hall politician who made it his duty to bring down Jay Gould and his cohorts because he loathed their corruption. The confidant of many presidents who presented his prostitute/mistress to the court of Queen Victoria and the Civil War General who is given equal credit for winning and losing the battle of Gettysburg.

Though somewhat dated, especially in its respectful treatment of someone who doesnt always deserve it, there simply isnt a more entertaining or complete depiction of Sickles incredible life.

This book is about one of my husbands relatives. He was a real scoundrel but did alot for our country during the Civil War. A great book to read and the author keeps you entertained.

ONE BIOGRAPHER OF DANIEL SICKLES THINKS "INCREDIBLE" IS TOO KIND A WORD FOR THIS POLITICIAN/GENERAL. AS A GENERAL HE RANKS WITH MOST OF THE POLITICAL GENERALS OF THE CIVIL WAR--POOR AT BEST. THE MOST INTERESTING FEATURE OF SICKLES LIFE IS HIS POLITIAL AND PERSONAL LIFE AND THIS AREA SWANBURG RELATES VERY, VERY WELL. SICKLES TRIAL FOR THE MURDER IN LAFAYETTE PARK OF FRANCIS SCOTT KEYE'S SON FOR SEX WITH MRS. SICKLES IS THE MOST FASCINATING. SICKLES WAS SUCH A FOREMOST POLITICIAN THAT HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY WAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES. HIS TRIAL MAY HAVE SET THE PRECEDENT FOR THE NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF INSANITY PLEA. THE BOOK OFFERS A VIEW OF THE POLITICAL MACHINES IN THEANTEBELLUM AND WAR YEARS, AND LEANS SOMEWHAT TOO FAVORABLY TOWARD DAN SICKLES. HOWEVER, IT IS STILL A BOOK WELL WORTH READING AND HAVING FOR PROFESSIONAL HISTORIANS AND THE READING PUBLIC.

Just wanted to note some of oft-ignored qualities of Daniel E.
Sickles.... Most folks want to focus on his alleged military
ineptitude in the Civil War (and at Gettysburg in particular) or
"The Trial of the Century," when Sickles was tried for murdering
his wife's lover. Sickles spoke in favor of the cause of freeing
Cuba from the yoke of Spanish colonial oppression in the years
after the Civil War, and he was always a patriot - at least he
favored the U.S. government instead of secession in the great crisis!