In Congress, Sickles had aligned himself with Southern Democrats and was himself a pro-slavery Democrat. But after the outbreak of the war, Sickles suddenly became Pro-Union. His last session in Congress had ended in March so Sickles was back in New York City practicing law when the war started. In later versions of his motives for joining the Union Army he stated he thought he could best serve the Union by raising a regiment. Republican President Lincoln needed the support of Democrats and apparently saw Sickles as one he could use. After raising a regiment, then a brigade which he named the Excelsior Brigade, Sickles assumed he would be given the rank of brigadier general (a colonel commanded a regiment while a brigadier general commanded a brigade). But officially, he remained a colonel of the first regiment, even though he commanded the entire brigade. New York Governor Edwin D. Morgan decided there were too many regiments from New York City and ordered Sickles to disband some of the regiments. As a result, Sickles would not get a brigadier general's commission. Going around the governor, Sickles went to Washington to meet with Lincoln. The President agreed to enlist the disbanded regiments as United States Volunteers. Finally on July 20, 1861 they received orders to report to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. In September, Sickles was nominated as a brigadier general of volunteers, but his confirmation was delayed for several months by the United States Senate. Sickles brigade spent most of 1861 in lower Maryland. Sickles frequently visited the Lincolns in Washington during this time. In March 1862, his command was attached to General Joseph Hooker in the Army of the Potomac. That same month, Sickles' brigadier general commission was turned down by the Senate. The Excelsiors saw their first combat that month. Sickles personally led a reconnaissance. Then on April 6, he left the Excelsiors for Washington to protest his not being commissioned a brigadier general. While his unit fought in the Peninsula Campaign, Sickles remained in Washington. Lincoln again nominated him for general and on May 3, 1862 the Senate confirmed him.