Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-05-08
GENERALS|CKLESD|ES
LAST OF GREAT GENERALS At
GETTYSBURG TO LEAVE
THIS EARTH.
HAD SERVED: IN CONGRESS Twice
Who Betrayed His Wife-Was
Acquitted and Forgave Wife
One Time Rich, Died Poor.

New York.-General Daniel e. Sick.
les died at his home here Sunday. His
wife was at his bedside at the end.
General Sickles was the last of the
great commanders who fought the !
battle of Gettysburg. For a decade he
was fighter by professionally his
life he was fighter by nature.
The gruff old warrior. with one leg
shot away in battle, his massive head
resembling Bismarck's, was a pictur-
esque figure as he hobbled along on
crutches during the last half century
of his turbulent life.
Always Fighter.
His indomitable fighting spirit re-
NAMED to the last. He was born in
New York citl in 1925. 1t was he
who secured for his city it's great Cen
trail park.
Before he was 80 years old Major
Sickles had served as secretary of le-
CATION at London under Minister JAS
Buchanan. He had won a state sena-
torship through bitter campaign;
and he was seated in the 35th congress
at Washington.
While in Congress Kills Man.
1t was at this time that an event
occurred which became the sensation
of the day. Sickles had begun his Sec
ond term as congressman in 1859 when
the national capital was stirred by the
news that the young representative
from New York had shot and killed
Philip Barton Yey, the United States
district attorney for the District of
Columbia. Sickles declared that Key
had misled Mrs. Sickles, who was
Theresa Sagioli, daughter of an Ital-
ian music teacher The trial lasted
20 days, ending in the acquittal Of
Sickles on the ground of "unwritten
law" He then took his erring wife
back.
Wife Forgiven.
81 am not aware of any statue or
code of morals" said Sickles to his
critics, (which makes it infamous to
forgive a woman. l can now see In
the almost universal denunciation with
which she is followed to my threshold
the misery and peril from which have
rescued the mother of my daughter.
! shall strive to provide to all that an
erring wife and mother may be for
given and redeemed"
Mrs. Sickles died of broken heart
a few years later.
Recruited Regiment.
Sickles raised the famous Excelsior
brigade in New York, taking command
of one of its regiments as colonel.
President Lincoln in 1861 raised him
to brigadier-general. His fighting spirit
early won him his SPURS. On the
peninsula and at Antietam he disting.
uished himself as soldier an leader.
At Charlottesville he led division.
At Gettysburg he led the third corps,
lost leg, and became national hero.
At 81 years of age he had risen from
a colonel to major-general of volun-
teers.
After the war his fighting spirit led
him into the regular army, and he be-
came, first, brigadier and the major
general. He continued active service
until 1869, when he was appointed min
mister to Spain by President Grant.
At the court Of Spain Sickles' Wig
orous personality made him a dominat.
ing figure. Four years Of brilliant d.
plomacy brought him the epithet of
"The Yankee King of SPAIN" Here he
contracted his second marriage, with
the beautiful and distinguished Senior
tia Creagh. This romance was fol.
lowed by estrangement which was to
last more than a quarter century. In
addition to this domestic trouble came
his interference in the marrigage plans
of his daughter to penniless Spanish
nobleman. Father and daughter sepa-
rated in bitterness, the latter to re-
turn to the United States to die with
out reconciliation.
Returns to Congress.
Returning alone to New York, Cen
eral Sickles again entered politics. He
served as sheriff of New York and at
81 he was reelected to congress.
General Sickles' life drew to a close
with frequent romantic situations. He
faced bankruptcy proceedings in his
last years, though he had early in life
received large share OF his fathers
100000 estate, but his estranged
wife and son came to his aid on sew
'eral occasions.
His last days were spant at % Fifth
avenue, New York, surrounded by war
relics and attended by his faithful
negro servant.