This is another story that could be made into a movie. This man led a very interesting life - he was an American politician, soldier and diplomat.
Daniel Edgar Sickles was born on October 20, 1819 to a wealthy family in New York City. His parents were Susan Marsha and George Garrett Sickles. His father was a patent attorney and politician. Daniel studied at the University of the City of New York (now NYU). He studied law in the offices of Benjamin Butler and was admitted to the bar in 1846. In 1847 he was elected to the New York State assembly. In 1853 he was appointed secretary of the US legislation in London by President Pierce. He returned to the US in 1855 and was elected to the New York State Senate and was then reelected in 1857.
He married Teresa Baguioli on September 27, 1852. Both families were opposed to the marriage because of the age difference between the couple. He was 32 and she was only 15 or 16. On February 27, 1859 he shot and killed Philip Barton Key, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, in Lafayette Square in front of the White House. Key, the son of Francis Scott Key, was carrying on an affair with Teresa. Sickles turned himself in at the home of Attorney General Jeremiah Black and confessed to the crime. He was charged with murder. He pled not guilty by the reason of temporary insanity, the first time the defense was used in the US. He was acquitted of the crime. He publicly forgave Teresa which caused a public uproar but they were together until she died in 1867.
In the 1850's Sickles received a commission to the 12th Regiment of the New York militia and attained the rank of major. He refused to return runaway slaves and actually put many on the federal payroll as servants to protect them. He saw action during the Civil War most notably at the Battle of Gettysburg. There he disobeyed an order which almost led to disaster. His right leg was wounded by a cannonball and was eventually amputated. He retuned to Washington, DC on July 4, 1863 and immediately began a PR campaign to defend his actions during the battle. After 34 years he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.
After the war he was active in the reconstruction efforts in the Carolinas. He fought for fair treatment of African-Americans, rights of workers and halted property foreclosures. He served as Minister of Spain from 1869-1874. After Teresa's death he married Carmine Creagh in 1871 and had two children. He worked tirelessly during the remainder of his life to preserve the Gettysburg battlefield. he also spoke at Gettysburg reunions. He died on May 3, 1914 in New York City from a cerebral hemorrhage.
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