An Audacious Myth: The Personal Memoirs of Major General Daniel Edgar Sickles is a fictional first-person account of the real-life Civil War Union General Dan Sickles and his controversial actions at the Battle of Gettysburg. An Audacious Myth chronicles Sickles's rise from a self-centered operative of New York's infamous Tammany Hall to the rank of Major General. His scandal-ridden life included owning a brothel with his lover Fanny White, marrying the teen daughter of his best friends, and gunning down his wife's lover in front of the White House. He was the first American to be found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. Sickles's time after the war was devoted to creating a narrative that put him at the center of heroics at Gettysburg. His efforts won him the Medal of Honor thirty-five years after the battle. Did he save the Union and deserve the medal? Was there a twisted divine intervention that guided him at Gettysburg? We view the man through his own eyes and decide for ourselves. An Audacious Myth: The Personal Memoirs of Major General Daniel Edgar Sickles is a fictional first-person account of Civil War Union General Daniel Sickles and his controversial actions at the Battle of Gettysburg. An Audacious Myth chronicles Sickle's rise from a self-centered operative of New York's infamous Tammany Hall to the rank of Major General in the Union army. His life was scandel-ridden. It included owning an exlclusive brothel with his courtesan lover Fanny White, his marriage at age thirty-four to the sixteen-year-old daughter of his best friends, a year later appearing at Buckingham Palace before Queen Victoria with Fanny White instead of his wife, and gunning down the son of Francis Scott Key in Lafayette Park acrosss from the White House. At the Battle of Gettysburg, Dan Sickles was in command of the Third Corps of the Army of the Potomac, and against all military doctrine moved his men forward of the main Union line to occupy the distant Peach Orchard, which became the bloody focus of the fighting on the second day. Some sanctified his action, many more villified it. After the war Sicles devoted his life to creating a narrative that put himself at the center of the heroic actions at the battle. His efforts won him the Medal of Honor thirty-five years after the war. An Audacious Myth tells the whole story from within his twisted and self-centered mind. Did Dan Sickles save the Union and deserve the Medal of Honor? We decide for ourselves. Gettysburg gave us our One Nation and our defining Address. Bill Sutton gives us a wild trip through those three days of battle, and through the eyes of the imperfect, yet important, American; Dan Sickles. I finished the book wanting even more Gettysburg, more echoes of the Rolling Stones, and more Bill Sutton stories! Retired Vice Admiral John Christianson President, U.S. Naval War College 2011-2013 A rip-roaring dive into one of America's most notorious political generals and all-around scoundrels, Dan Sickles. Sutton paints a vibrant image of a deeply opportunistic man, flawed, yet perhaps divinely guided, at least in his own mind. Sutton's commendable work brings us deep into the infamous general's thoughts, which I found particularly insightful during that fateful day at Gettysburg when his decision led to the annihilation of his entire Corps. I would highly recommend this book for history buffs and those new to the man and legend, Major General Daniel Sickles. Daniel Greene Award winning author of the Northern Wolf Series This is a story of a man who always survived one crisis after one another, and seemed to profit from each! Sickles was a man of big accomplishments, including creating New Yorks's Central Park, and meeting the Queen of England with his brothel queen mistress. He later took a leading role in defeating the Confederate Army at Gettysburg, losing a leg in battle on July 2, 1863, and losing most of the UnionThird Corps. Enjoy this great book! Jan Craig Scruggs. Esq Founder, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund In our era of safe, all-too-conventional storytelling, the most fresh and creative voices are often literary outsiders. Bill Sutton's "An Audacious Myth" is a delight: original, authentic -- and hugely fun. His grunt's-eye march through the historic battlefields of the American Civil War vividly recreates the ad hoc, messy, hit-or-miss humanness of combat command. Highly recommended. Michael Meyer Founding Dean Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications Historical fiction has never been my jam, but the cover caught my eye, and I was intrigued by the story of Dan Sickles. I never expected it to be this entertaining (the first third is quite juicy) but he is such a good writer I was thoroughly engaged. I finished the book in two days and found that I really appreciated the sections at the back of the book that separated fact from fiction. I'm glad I didn't read them first because I loved going on the journey. Jeanne