John Wearmouth Original Historic Documents for Sale

[Bill Richter]

Sickles' competency as a general is much up for dispute. In spite of what Meade thought, one can make a good case that Sickles saved the union Army at Gettysburg on the second day by busting up Longstreet's attack before it hit the lower end of Cemetery Ridge and the Round Tops. He had the same thing happen to him, the passage of part of the Confederate army across his front, in this case, Jackson's Corps at Chancellorsville. He was told to hold and Jackson mauled the XI Corps and nearly took Sickles in his rear. Sickles was not about to let that happen again without a fight. His person foibles with women and whiskey are something else again.