**Finalist for Biography, 2009, Army Historical Foundation Distinguished
Book Award
Winner, 2009, The Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award, Given by the
Robert E. Lee Civil War Round Table of Central New Jersey
Winner, 2009, Gettysburg Round Table's Distinguished Book Award
**
Sickles at Gettysburg: The Controversial Civil War General Who
Committed Murder, Abandoned Little Round Top, and Declared Himself the
Hero of Gettysburg, by licensed battlefield guide James Hessler, is the
most deeply-researched, full-length biography to appear on this
remarkable American icon. And it is long overdue.
No individual who fought at Gettysburg was more controversial, both
personally and professionally, than Major General Daniel E. Sickles. By
1863, Sickles was notorious as a disgraced former Congressman who
murdered his wife's lover on the streets of Washington and used
America's first temporary insanity defense to escape justice. With his
political career in ruins, Sickles used his connections with President
Lincoln to obtain a prominent command in the Army of the Potomac's Third
Corps--despite having no military experience. At Gettysburg, he openly
disobeyed orders in one of the most controversial decisions in military
history.
No single action dictated the battlefield strategies of George Meade and
Robert E. Lee more than Sickles' unauthorized advance to the Peach
Orchard, and the mythic defense of Little Round Top might have occurred
quite differently were it not for General Sickles. Fighting heroically,
Sickles lost his leg on the field and thereafter worked to remove
General Meade from command of the army. Sickles spent the remainder of
his checkered life declaring himself the true hero of Gettysburg.
Although he nearly lost the battle, Sickles was one of the earliest
guardians of the battlefield when he returned to Congress, created
Gettysburg National Military Park, and helped preserve the field for
future generations. But Dan Sickles was never far from scandal. He was
eventually removed from the New York Monument Commission and nearly went
to jail for misappropriation of funds.
Hessler's book is a balanced and entertaining account of Sickles'
colorful life. Civil War enthusiasts who want to understand General
Sickles' scandalous life, Gettysburg's battlefield strategies, the
infighting within the Army of the Potomac, and the development of
today's National Park will find Sickles at Gettysburg a must-read.
About the Author: James A. Hessler works in the financial services
industry and is a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National
Military Park. He has taught Sickles and Gettysburg-related courses for
Harrisburg Area Community College and the Gettysburg Foundation. In
addition to writing articles for publication, Hessler speaks regularly
at Civil War Round Tables. A native of Buffalo, NY, he resides in
Gettysburg with his wife and children.
