Controversial and colorful American politician and military officer (1819–1914). After discovering his young wife was having an affair, Sickles shot the man, the son of Francis Scott Key, and managed to secure an acquittal with the then-novel defense of temporary insanity. During the Civil War, Sickles served as a general and lost his leg in a famous incident at the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, Sickles served as Minister to Spain and as a U.S. Representative. Three one page TLSs, all signed “D. E. Sickles,” dated January 5, 1912, February 15, 1911, and April 12, 1911, all to the Lincoln Fellowship. First letter deals with Sickles’ invitation to the Fellowship’s annual festival and his availability. Second letter deals with his apparent acceptance of the invitation, as he lists four guests and encloses a check for dinners, closing with, “I will be glad to receive a copy of my speech as soon as the stenographic notes are transcribed.” Last letter concerns Sickles’ remarks, and reads, “I am returning to you…the proof of my remarks at the last dinner of the Lincoln Fellowship. I find the same quite correct, with a few exceptions; I have noted only the most important.” In fine condition, with intersecting mailing folds, and some mild toning.
The Lincoln Fellowship met annually to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (in the case of the 1912 letter, what would have been Lincoln’s 101st birthday). Sickles had been visited by his Command-in-Chief after losing his leg in what many historians view as an ill-advised attack during Gettysburg. During the visit, the president named Sickles to his staff. On what was the occasion of Lincoln’s 100th birthday, he recounted a story to members of the Fellowship of how Lincoln questioned him about his political views one day. Without going into details, Sickles insinuated that while he was loyal to the man, he may not have shared his political ideas. “Sickles, I know you are my personal friend, but I believe you are politically my adversary,” the retired Union Army general told the audience. (Indeed, from 1857 to 1861, Sickles was a Democratic representative.)
An interesting, related trio of items from a man who had a first-hand friendship with the nation’s 16th president. RRAuction COA.
