generalsickles

Daniel Sickles (1819-1914) lost his leg during the Civil War. Colorful character: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Sickles Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Disability History, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Judging by the hat and the solder escorting him, I'd guess that he's at the Grand Reunion of 1913, held at Gettysburg Pennsylvania, to mark the 50th anniversary of the battle. Sickles lost his leg, and a large portion of his command, there. He donated his lost limb to a medical museum in Washington, where he'd visit it from time to time. Earlier in life, he shot and killed Philip Barton Key, Francis Scott Key's son, who was having an affair with his wife. I believe he was the first American to use the temporary insanity defense.

Mrs. Wilmerding is Eleanor Earle Wilmerding, who was Sickles' housekeeper and mistress. She lived with him in New York; his estranged wife and adult son lived in a nearby hotel when they were in town. Mrs. Wilmerding controlled who visited SIckles in his later years, and accompanied him on his rare public appearances (at 93, he was no longer capable of making speeches). Surprisingly, she died before him, in February 1914--he passed away a few weeks later, in April. www.sicklesatgettysburg.com/Sickles_Biography.html

I think MDRails could well be correct about this being related to the reunion of July 1913, especially because of the army uniform of his escort. He was especially of interest to the New York media becaue of the alleged missapropriation of $23,476 from the State Monument Commission of which he was Chairman, according to this report of January 27, 1913: query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C04E7D81E3AE633A...

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Veterans of the American Civil War, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

Other Bain/LOC photos of Gen. Sickles' funeral in New York City, May 8, 1914: The one-legged General Dan Sickles last appeared in this photostream on the Fourth of July, 1913, in attendance at the Golden Anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Gettysburg. He was 90 years old:

Story of the New York City funeral service at St. Patrick's Cathedral, from the New York Times, May 9, 1914: query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9807E0D71E39E6...

Other Bain/LOC photos of the funeral of General Dan Sickles:

General Sickles died on May 3, 1914. The funeral, in New York City, was held on May 8. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington, D. C. New York Times story, May 9, 1914, of the funeral in New York City, at St. Patrick's Cathedral: query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9807E0D71E39E6...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Edgar_Sickles