The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-05-04
|GEN. SICKLES
| DEAD AT SO
Veteran Of Civil War Was
Attended by His Wife
in Last Hours
LAST OF THE
GREAT COMMANDERS
Who Fought the Battle Of
Gettysburg---A Fight
er BY Nature

III the house OF her husband. All day
Saturday she watched by his side and
she declared she intended to remain with
him to the end
Gen Sickles and his wife became es-
tranged more than a quarter of cen
fury ago Repeated efforts made in re-
cent years by their son, Stanton Sickles,
to effect reconciliation proved ineffect-
i've. This spring, however, it appears
the Union veteran, now in his S9th year,
made advances, and when Mrs. Sickles
heard Friday that he was so i'll that a
priest had been summoned to administer
the last rites she fastened to his home
to supervise the arrangements for his
care during his illness. Mrs. Sickles in
the last few years had repeatedly come
to the financial assistance of the aged
veteran but declined to enter his home.
General Daniel Edgar Siekles was the
last Of the great commanders who
fought the battle Of Gettysburg. For a
decade he was fighter by profession
all his life he was a fighter by nature.
| The grutf old warrior, with one leg
shot away ia battle, his massive head
resembling Bismark's, was a picturesque
figure AZ he hobbled along on crutches
during the last half century Of his tur-
bulent life.
His indomitable fighting spirit re-
manned to the last Born in New York
City in 1925 Sickles, at the age Of p,
fought the Wings as a Democrat in the
New York legislature. At 2s, he dis
played his fighting spirit as corporation
attorney OF New York, 1t was he who
secured for his city its great Central
Park At this time his military career
began as major of the 18th regiment,
national guard, New York
Before he was 81 years old, Major
Sickles had served as secretary OF lega-
ton at London under Minister James
Buehann; he had won state senator
ship through bitter campaign; and he
was seated in the thirty.iifth congress at
Washington.
1t was at this time that an event oc-
Cured which became the sensation OF
the day Sekles had begun his second
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 Key, the United States district
attorney for the District OF Columbia.
SickIes declared that Key had misled
Mrs. Sicllles who was Therese Bagioli,
daughter of an Italian music teacher.
The trial lasted 220 days, ending in the
aequittal of Sickles on the ground of
''unwritten law" He then took his erring
wife back.
Il am not aware of any statute or
code OF morals" said Siekles to his
critics, (which makes it infamous to
forgive woman. / 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 prove to all that an err
ring wife and mother may be forgiven
and redeemed"
Mrs Sickles died OF broken heart
few years later.
AT the outbreak OF the Civil war. the
young fighting politician, then 80 years
old. went to Lincoln to offer his services.
You have been leader in New York
Democratic politics" said the president.
IF you kept your end up at that game,
surely you'll do to take command of
men in the field. Raise your regiments |
and you shall be brigadier general in
SicSles raised the famous Excelsior !
brigade in New York, taking command |
of one of its regiments as colonel, Lin |
coin kept his word and in 1851 raised /
him to brigadier-general. His fighting I
spirit early won him his spurs. On the /
peninsula and at Antietam he distin
guished himself as a soldier and leader.
At Charlottesville he led division, At
Gettysburg he led the third corps, lost a
leg. and became national hero. At 81
years OF age, he had risen from col
1nel to ma jor- general of volunteers.
After the war his fighting spirit led
him in to the regular army, and he be-
anne first, brigadier and then major
general. He continued active service
until 1869, when he was appointed min
ster to Spain by President Grant.
At the court of Spain, Sickles' vigor-
rus personality made him a dominating
igure Four years of brilliant diplomacy
him the epithet of "The Yankee
King of Spain" Here he contracted :
MS second marriage, with the beautiful
md distinguished Senorta Creagh. This {
'omanee was followed by enlargement |
which was to last more than quarter
century In addition to his domestic
rouhles, came his interference IN the
marriage plans OF his daughter to
,enniless Spanish noblemsn. Father
nd daughter separates in bitterness,
he latter to return to the United States
o die without reconciliation.
Returning alone to New York, General
'ickles again entered politics. He served !
S sheriff of New York and at 81 he was .
to Congress.
General Sickles' life drew to close ,
Nth frequent romantic situations He !,
aced bankruptcy proceedings in his !,
asst wears, though he had early in hfe !
cceived large share of his fathers So !
10000 estate, but his est8nged wife J.
nd son came to his aid on several oc- :
lsions.
His last DAYS were spent at % Fifth :
venue. New York City, surrounded by
ar relics and attended by his faithful =
egro servant.