Evening star., 1945-08-12
Dan Sickies:
Yankee King of Spain

NNSS Niii9 W SPum
By Edgcumb Pinchon. (Dou-
bleduy, Doran;: $500
Reviewed by CHARLES M. EGAN.
Dan Sickles was such a many
sided old swashbuckler-nearly ev-
erything he did for more than SO
years seems to have been Page One
stuff for the world newspapers
that it appears incredible that this
is the first full-length biography of
him. Yet apparently it is.
This may be, of course, because
so many of Old Dams activities
seem to belong to the gossip columns
rather than to history. Even SO, it
is doubtful if 10Th century America
produced more colorful figure. The
story of his life makes fascinating
reading, although at times Author
Pinchon gilds the lily in the most
fashion.
This shouldn't be necessary in the
saga of a man who lost leg while
commanding Meade's Sd Corps at
Gettysburg, who killed the son OF
Francis Scott Key because of love
affair involving Mrs. Sickles, who
later became known as "The Yankee
King of Spain" because of his own
affair with Queen Isabella and who
on one occasion pitched Jay Gould
out window into a flower bed.
Gen. Sickles, scion of an old Dutch
family in New York, started out in
life as a lawyer, became Tammany
leader and was elected to Congress
after serving briefly as First Secre-
tary at the American Legation in
London. While a member of the
House in 1859 he finally learned
what every one else in Washington
was gossiping about-the affair be-
tween his beautiful young wife,
Teresa, and his friend, United States
Attorney Philip Barton Key, son of
the composer of THE Star Spangled
Banner"
Armed with three guns, Sickles
met Key in Lafayette Park and
shot him to death. The trial that
followed was three ring circus that
the country into pro and
anti Sickles groups. He was ac-
quilted but his political career ap-
peared ended. The author seems
to think Sickles might have sue
ceeded Buchanan as President but
for the tragedy.
When the Civil War began shortly
afterward Sickles enlisted as pri-
vate but soon became colonel of New
York's famous Excelsior Brigade"
He was made a major general after
himself at Chancel-
lorsville and was in command of
the Sd Corps at Gettysburg.
Sickles' role at Gettysburg, where
he lost his right leg repulsing Long
street, gets superlative praise from
his biographer, but some historians
are more restrained. Even his crit
les, however, agree that Sickles was
the best of the Unions volunteer
generals.
Recovering from his wounds,
Sickles bought an expensive arti-
fetal limb-then a new-fangled con-
quickly abandoned it
and used crutches the remaining 81
years of his life.
After the war he served as mill
tary governor of the Carolinas.
Then, after the death of his wife,
whom he had forgiven, he was ap-
pointed by President Grant as Min
Ister to Spain. While in the Madrid
post he visited the recently deposed
Queen Isabella, who was busy
to make her son Alfonso
King. Sickles and the Queen began
an association which soon had all
Europe gossiping. AS sop to con-
vention, Sickles, then in his Sos,
entered into a marriage of con-
venience with one of the Queens
ladies in waiting. He returned to
New York after Isabella's son be-
came King, and was back in Con-
gress during the 1905.
A popular figure despite his many
didoes, Sickles took the lead in
pushing legislation to provide for
Civil War veterans. He also ar
ranged the famed Gettysburg re-
unions of Blue and Gray. Toward
the end of his life his faculties
were not too clear and the country
was shocked when he was charged
with misappropriating funds from
a Civil War monuments fund.
Everything was Strengthened out
satisfactorily and the old soldier
died at "a, just few months before
the outbreak of the World War.
He really had lived a full life.