The Civil War General Who Took His Dates to See His Severed Leg at the Smithsonian Museum

Dan Sickles, a colorful Civil War general, defies description with his impulsive and amoral nature. He lived a fast life, accumulating fortunes and loving society, but his personal life was marred by scandal, including shooting and killing his wife's lover, Philip Barton Key. Despite his questionable actions, Sickles became a hero in the war, raising a brigade and backing the Republican war effort, and later played a key role in preserving the Gettysburg battlefield.