Either CSA captures Lincoln or Union forces capture Davis during ACW

They had an opportunity to snag Abe when Jubal Early attacked Washington. If he'd been a day early, Lincoln could have been in Confederate hands. After all, the day before the attack happened, there was no union army to protect him.
 
They had an opportunity to snag Abe when Jubal Early attacked Washington. If he'd been a day early, Lincoln could have been in Confederate hands. After all, the day before the attack happened, there was no union army to protect him.

But Early was late...
 

Marc

Donor
Losing either President doesn't affect the outcome - although it might make it a little bit more bloody.
There is a reason why the general rule in armed conflicts is that the leaders are off limits.
 
I recall reading that a Union Army soldier arrived at the White House with a message for Lincoln. No one greeted him so he started wandering through the building looking for the President. When he finally found Abe he commented on the situation to which Lincoln replied that he gave 'the boys' the day off.
If security was that lax it would not be a stretch to imagine a kidnapping although getting Lincoln into Confederate controlled territory would be problematic to say the least.
As pointed out a republic is not one man. The Vice President, the Cabinet, and Congress would see that goverment continued although the Supreme Court might have to give a ruling on the situation as it pertains to Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the US Constitution (Presidential Incapacity).
 
IMHO at the time of Early's attack on DC (July, 1864) the CSA already seriously compromised. Had Lincoln been removed (say by capture) it is entirely possible that he would have been replaced on the Republican ticket by a more radical Republican, and it is almost certain that Andrew Johnson would not have been VP. The attitude in the North was entirely for winning the war, McClellan was soundly defeated in the 1864 election and he was more of a "War Democrat" than a "Peace Democrat". The net result, IMHO, is that the war ends more or less as OTL, and Reconstruction is much tougher. If Lincoln dies in captivity, entirely possible even without mistreatment, it gets much, much worse for the south. There was an Ah story about this where Lincoln is killed at Ft Stephens, can' recall the title.
 
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