Booth Shoots Someone Else

[redjirachi]

Both Robert Todd Lincoln and Ulysses S Grant could've been invited to that fateful day in Ford's Theatre. The younger Lincoln turned the invitation down, and Grant's wife turned it down as she and the First Lady didn't get along. Either of them, had they been there, might've been able to stop John Wilkes Booth from delivering the fatal blow. However I wonder; what if there was a monkey's paw to this? Either Robert or Grant is present and they save the president, but end up getting fatally wounded in the conflict. With a live 16th president and dead Robert or Grant due to a heroic sacrifice, what would happen?

• Robert Todd Lincoln: As Grant is alive in this timeline, he would probably ascend to the presidency. However it's the next four years I'd like to know about. We all know how losing a son can affect someone, much less the president and while they're in office. Honest Abe has already lost one son while president. Seeing his second gunned down; how would such a tragedy finagle and impact the remaining portion of his presidential term?
• Ulysses S Grant: Dying to save Lincoln from being shot would certainly be a hero's death. But with 20 years taken from Grant's life, how will this impact things as Lincoln's presidency comes to an end? Come the 1868 election, who will take the Republican ticket? Who might Honest Abe hope to succeed him?

 

[Nmale]

The impact of the death of Robert Todd Lincoln would be great on the Lincoln’s, especially Mary. She already lost Willie in 1862, and I can imagine that the assassination of Robert would send her spiraling again, and probably irreparably. Lincoln probably wouldn’t get away from the attempt unharmed though, Booth was armed with a knife as well, so let’s say he survives a stab wound. While he’s recuperating from his wound and dealing with the loss of his son, I can’t imagine him dealing with the problems before him, so I can see Stanton running the show for a couple of weeks.

Once Lincoln recovers, he’ll have to deal with Reconstruction. He’ll probably push his Ten Percent Plan, but unlike Johnson, he'll have the political clout to avoid completely alienating the Radical Republicans in my opinion, avoiding impeachment. He’ll try to get Reconstruction over as painlessly as possible, but I can also see him being friendlier towards the former slaves than Johnson was, and perhaps we’ll see a better run and more efficient Freedman’s Bureau. Come 1868 most of the South will be finished with Reconstruction, and maybe the former slaves will be better off than they were with Johnson, I’m honestly not 100% sure. In 1868 he’ll support Grant for the presidency but will probably try to get a friend on the ticket as VP. When his term is up he and Mary will return to Springfield and probably travel, he always said he wanted to.

 

[redjirachi]

I'm worried that, given Lincoln had bouts of melancholy/depression during his life, and he had suicidal thoughts at earlier points in his life, the murder of his son could lead him to kill himself

 

[marktaha]

If Grant killed, who in 1868?

 

[Mikestone8]

If Grant is there, *nobody* gets killed.[1] Had he been, the sentry would never have dared leave his post - and Grant himself might well be armed.


[1] Well, no one except possibly Booth.

 

[Ivan Lupo]

If Robert gets shot, Lincoln probably chokeslams Booth from the balcony.

 

[Strategos' Risk]

How fortuitous that this was posted the day after this video

 

[Kevin in Indy]

If Grant is there, *nobody* gets killed.[1] Had he been, the sentry would never have dared leave his post - and Grant himself might well be armed.


[1] Well, bo one except possibly Booth.

Consider - what if Booth had to overcome the (in-place) guard with his knife, but made enough noise that Grant got up to investigate, with Lincoln getting up thereafter. Booth opens the door and has to use his gun to shoot Grant. Lincoln has the presence of mind to grab his chair and proceeds to beat Booth to death with it. ("Sic semper THIS, buddy!") Epic sacrifice by Grant, Lincoln takes a level in Badass.

I have always had it in my mind that Lincoln could not survive a full second term given the stress of dealing with the Radicals. I think that he may have hammered out some compromises but would die before 1868, leaving Andrew Johnson as a caretaker to finish out until a Republican successor can take office.

 

[marathag]

Lincoln has the presence of mind to grab his chair and proceeds to beat Booth to death with it. ("Sic semper THIS, buddy!"

The Railsplittler bellows out 'quod histrio pessime est sicarius!'

-- An actor performing badly as an assassin , if my terrible Latin holds up

 

[Mark E.]

I'm worried that, given Lincoln had bouts of melancholy/depression during his life, and he had suicidal thoughts at earlier points in his life, the murder of his son could lead him to kill himself

Was Lincoln's son even in the presidential booth? Suppose Booth shoots somebody outside of the Lincoln family. The attempt would create a new level of awareness for protection of the president. Having won the war, I would think Lincoln would be feeling very relieved and ready to re-unite the country.

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

With Grant out of the picture, I see two main contenders for the Republican presidential nomination. First would be Chief Justice Salmon Chase and second would be House Speaker Schuyler Colfax. Such party legends as Seward, Sumner, and Stevens are either too old, too unpopular/unacceptable to the general populace, or unlikely to seek the presidency in my opinion. Both Chase and Colfax are ambitious men and popular within the Republican Party. In a straight contest between the two, I think Chase would probably come out the winner, with a New Englander like Senators Henry Wilson or William P. Fessenden as his running-mate.

 

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

With Grant out of the picture, I see two main contenders for the Republican presidential nomination. First would be Chief Justice Salmon Chase and second would be House Speaker Schuyler Colfax. Such party legends as Seward, Sumner, and Stevens are either too old, too unpopular/unacceptable to the general populace, or unlikely to seek the presidency in my opinion. Both Chase and Colfax are ambitious men and popular within the Republican Party. In a straight contest between the two, I think Chase would probably come out the winner, with a New Englander like Senators Henry Wilson or William P. Fessenden as his running-mate.

You don't think they'd go with a different general/war hero?

 

[bguy]

You don't think they'd go with a different general/war hero?

Were there that many other prominent, successful Union generals that were Republicans?

Sherman, Sheridan, and Thomas don't seem to have been interested in politics.

Hancock, Rosecrans and Slocum were Democrats.

Blair broke with the Republicans over Reconstruction.

Banks, Burnside and Butler weren't particularly successful commanders.

Who does that leave?

 

[redjirachi]

Consider - what if Booth had to overcome the (in-place) guard with his knife, but made enough noise that Grant got up to investigate, with Lincoln getting up thereafter. Booth opens the door and has to use his gun to shoot Grant. Lincoln has the presence of mind to grab his chair and proceeds to beat Booth to death with it. ("Sic semper THIS, buddy!") Epic sacrifice by Grant, Lincoln takes a level in Badass.

I have always had it in my mind that Lincoln could not survive a full second term given the stress of dealing with the Radicals. I think that he may have hammered out some compromises but would die before 1868, leaving Andrew Johnson as a caretaker to finish out until a Republican successor can take office.

That alternate history take in alpha af. Why do you think Lincoln was in poor enough health stress could've killed him?

 

[Mikestone8]

With Grant out of the picture, I see two main contenders for the Republican presidential nomination. First would be Chief Justice Salmon Chase and second would be House Speaker Schuyler Colfax. Such party legends as Seward, Sumner, and Stevens are either too old, too unpopular/unacceptable to the general populace, or unlikely to seek the presidency

Would Seward's age necessarily rule him out? He is very much the party's elder statesman.

 

[Mikestone8]

With Grant out of the picture, I see two main contenders for the Republican presidential nomination. First would be Chief Justice Salmon Chase and second would be House Speaker Schuyler Colfax.

Why not both - Colfax in 1868 and Chase in 1872 - or vice versa?

After all, two-term presidents were very much the exception in those days, and neither would have anything like the popular appeal of Grant.

 

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

Were there that many other prominent, successful Union generals that were Republicans?

Sherman, Sheridan, and Thomas don't seem to have been interested in politics.

Hancock, Rosecrans and Slocum were Democrats.

Blair broke with the Republicans over Reconstruction.

Banks, Burnside and Butler weren't particularly successful commanders.

Who does that leave?

Otl 1876 president Rutherford B. Hayes. Fremont could have another go as well. Burnside wasn't as incompetent as he is portrayed and a post war investigation put blame for the crater on Meade not Burnside. He was politically savy enough to become the governor of Rhode island in otl.

 

[bguy]

Otl 1876 president Rutherford B. Hayes. Fremont could have another go as well. Burnside wasn't as incompetent as he is portrayed and a post war investigation put blame for the crater on Meade not Burnside. He was politically savy enough to become the governor of Rhode island in otl.

Did Hayes ever command anything more than a brigade? And as of 1868 his political experience was just two terms as a Congressman. That's hardly an impressive enough resume to make a credible presidential candidate against Colfax or Chase.

As for Fremont, he tried to run against his own party's incumbent president in 1864. Doing that and failing is usually the kiss of death in politics.

As for Burnside, the Crater wasn't his only prominent failure. There's also Fredericksburg and the Mud March.

 

[Locke01]

If Grant is there, *nobody* gets killed.[1] Had he been, the sentry would never have dared leave his post - and Grant himself might well be armed.


[1] Well, bo one except possibly Booth.

Grant is unlikely to be armed. He rarely carried his sword, except for ceremonial occassions, and did not, as far as I can recall, have a personal side-arm (it was not required by regulation) during the war. And, even as a general, he was not habitually accompanied by a bodyguard or armed escort. So, there may well be no military sentry present.

 

[Locke01]

Were there that many other prominent, successful Union generals that were Republicans?

Sherman, Sheridan, and Thomas don't seem to have been interested in politics.

Hancock, Rosecrans and Slocum were Democrats.

Blair broke with the Republicans over Reconstruction.

Banks, Burnside and Butler weren't particularly successful commanders.

Who does that leave?

Not many, if any. Pity Sam Curtis is dead before 1868. He was both a successful general at army level and a Republican.