"Daniel Sickles, a Democrat from New York City"
George,
I assume you knew that Sickles lost his leg at Gettysburg. As far as seccesion is concerned, there was a favorable public opinion in the North that the south could leave until after Ft. Sumter and then the opinion changed. I have read many issues of the local papers of the day and I would expect the Sangamo Journal which was the Republican paper to support Mr. Lincoln but I was surprised to read the issues of the State Register that was the Democart paper to side with Lincoln after Ft. Sumter. I really think that was the event that moved to North to put down the rebellion.
FC