Daniel Edgar Sickles (1819–1914) was a well known Union General during the American Civil War. He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he lost his right leg due to a wound from a cannonball. Because Sickles moved his troops without orders, he left his troops thin and exposed to a confederate assault. General Sickles argued that he made the right decision at Gettysburg and wrote various papers describing how he was the reason they were able to declare victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. Today historians still debate General Sickles actions at Gettysburg. However, in 1897 he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Gettysburg. Sickles was also the first person in the U.S. to use the defense of "temporary insanity" and be acquitted for murder. This is because his wife had an affair with Philip Barton Key II (son of Francis Scott Key) and Sickles shot him in broad daylight. He claimed his wife's affair made him temporarily insane and he was acquitted for the murder. After the war, Sickles became the U.S. Ambassador to Spain during Ulysses S. Grant's presidency. 

Photographed in 1902, Sickles is pictured in a three quarter sitting position. 10.5" x 13" photograph is copyrighted J.E. Purdy, Boston and rests on a 16" x 19.25" mount that suffers from heavy wear. Heavy soiling is apparent throughout with some visible creasing of the photo. Verso remains blank.