Great question! Actually Sickles was instructed to put his corps on Hancock's left flank at Cemetery Hill and link with the right flank of Warren's V corps at Little Round Top. This has been one of the many controversies of this epic battle. Sickles, concerned about the high ground in his front (Peach Orchard) decided (without orders) to advance to that ground. Of course it left his left flank exposed when Longsreet's Confederate's launched their attack intent to "roll up" the Union left. Sickles, who lost a leg in the battle, always contended that his men helped win the battle but acting as a "rock" that took the brunt of the rebel tide before it reached the Federal lines. In retrospect, it is seen as an audacious tactic since the bluecoats prevailed. If Lee's army had turned their flank and cracked the Federal lines, Sickles would have been court-martialed. In an interesting sidelight to Dan Sickles, prior to the war, he shot and killed the son of Francis Scott Key because of an affair he was having with Sickles wife. Sickles was never brought up on charges and for some reason, the two stayed married. But that's a question more appropriate for another TBD group to ponder.

One report says that his orders were to place his corps in the position occupied by the XII corps but they had already moved towards Culp's Hill on the Union right and the V corps wasn't there yet. Although Sickles was considered a political general, he was also a fighting general and the ground that he thought he should be on was unsuitable to launch attacks from. The biggest problem was there wasn't nearly enough troops to properly man such a long line.

You are so right, Daniel. What many people today fail to understand was that many orders were transferred orally from a courier or adjutant by horseback and by the time the correspondence was received, the battle could have altered to the point where the order would be physically impossible to carry out. Personally, I never really liked Sickles. If you want a "fighting Union general" at Gettysburg, you have to admire Hancock or Reynolds.

I never realy cared much for Sickles either, mcjim. But I've often wondered why we don't see him anymore in the war, it seems that other generals returned after suffering as survere wounds. I also don't understand why so much effort was made to hold the ground that Sickles had occupied, even Hancock sent his first division into the action. I could see a little covering fire to aid in a withdraw but it seemed like useless sacrifice.

Yeah.. the fight around the Peach Orchard and Wheatfield was some of the most bloody of the battle. I can remember reading about the to II Corps soldiers at Cemetery Hill who expressed surprise at how far forward Sickles men were advancing. The other remarked, "Not to worry, you'll see them come tumbling back soon."

I wonder, if Sickles would have been where he was ordered to be and the union line was as heavily manned as it would have been at that point, would Lee have even attempted the attack on the second day or would Longstreet's arguments prevailed about swinging around the union left and moving towards Washington?

dan sickles , great book scoundral, was the first person to be declared innocent diue to insanity, he also brought his mistress to meet the queen of england he was a political general a member of tamany, on the second day he got lucky as usual, although in terms of union lives it was costly.