Daniel Sickles Signed Check Made Out to His Former Aide-de-Camp

A post-war signed check by Union general Daniel Sickles. Measuring 8.25" x 2.625", New York, dated September 15, 1886. A check, No. 455, drawn on the Bank of Metropolis, with a payment of $1,000 made out to Henry E. Tremain. Signed "D Sickles." Endorsed on verso by Tremain to pay to the order of George L. Wright. Signed by both Tremain and Wright on verso. Also stamped for deposit at the River and Rail Electric Light Company. With bank stamps on both the front and back. Light toning and soiling throughout, with some ink bleed through. Cancellation cuts and punches, with a few small holes from removed staples. Large and bold signature.

Daniel E. Sickles (1819-1914) was an American politician, soldier, and diplomat who served as a brigade, division, and corps commander during the Civil War. At the Battle of Gettysburg, he moved his corps out of position without orders, where they suffered 40% casualties. Punishment for the serious blunder was only staved off because Sickles himself was wounded during the battle and had his leg amputated. After the war, he gained an appointment as U.S. Minister to Spain but was removed from the position after his inaccurate and hysterical messages to Washington almost led to a war with Spain.

Henry E. Tremain (1840-1910) enlisted as a private in April 1861 and was mustered into the New York Seventh Regiment. His regiment was attached to the Excelsior Brigade, raised by Daniel Sickles. He served in several key battles such as Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Second Bull Run (where he was taken prisoner and held at Libby Prison), Gettysburg, Chattanooga, and Petersburg. In the later years of the war, he was made a major and served as an aide-de-camp to Union generals Daniel Sickles, Daniel Butterfield, David Gregg, and George Crook. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Resaca when he voluntarily rode between two brigades of Union soldiers who were mistakenly firing at each other and stopped the firing. At the end of the war, he was brevetted to brigadier general and oversaw Reconstruction before finally retiring from the military in 1866.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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