General Dan Sickles may be best known for losing his leg in Gettysburg's bloody Peach Orchard. While commanding the Third Corps, Sickles advanced into the Peach Orchard but found Confederate General Longstreet and his men more than ready for the challenge. Shortly after Sickles' leg was amputated, he insisted that it be donated to the U.S. Army Medical Museum, which had requested amputation specimens for study. The leg was preserved and displayed. And Sickles, who lived to be almost 100, was known to periodically pay his leg a visit!

The General is also famous for being the first American to be exonerated of murder charges using the temporary insanity defense. In 1859, Sickles discovered that Barton Key (son of Francis Scott Key) was having an affair with his wife. (She was 15 when the 33 year old Sickles wed her!) During his trial, he was defended by none other than Edwin Stanton, who would go on to become Lincoln's Secretary of War. The future general had the support of most major newspapers and much public sympathy, while his young wife was portrayed as an immoral slut. (This, despite the fact that Sickles often kept company with Fanny White - a prominent Washington prostitute.)

Sickles was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry at Gettysburg. After the war, he served in many roles including U.S. Minister to Spain. The general remained quite the ladies' man in his post war life. He was even rumored to have bedded the former Queen Isabella the Second. Despite his improprieties, Sickles may have made his greatest contribution to our country in tirelessly advocating for the preservation of the Gettysburg battlefield.

He died in 1914, at the ripe old age of 94. A life of drink, dueling, heavy cigar smoking and chasing women must have agreed with him.

Now -- about the actual CDV: This image is taken from life and is in perfect condition. There are no trims, creases, stains or clips. There are many views of Sickles available but very few show him standing and armed. This is one of the scarcest. There is no backmark and the pencil notations on the verso appear to be of the period. They can certainly be erased if the buyer wishes.

All firearms sold are pre-1898 and historic collectibles. They are not meant to be fired. Jim Stanley & Associates (cwartifax.com) will not be liable for injury incurred due to any weapon or artifact purchased from this site. All artillery projectiles sold by Jim Stanley & Associates are absolutely safe and have been professionally and safely de-activated.