For want of a nail, the presidency was lost.

The date is 14th April 1864 and famous actor, Edwin Booth, is held up from getting to a train platform in Jersey City, New Jersey, it seems that the horse pulling the carriage had a lose nail, meaning the shoe feel off, while travelling to the station.

When he finally arrieves, he sees that train is still at the platform. "I say there sir, is that the last train to Washington? I though it would have left by now." Booth, asks on of the attendents.
"Aye, sir it is, by it has be stopped due to a grave incident." The attendent replied.

'A grave incident, who could the poor soul be' Though Booth, within a few seconds, he knew who it was, it was Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest son of the incumbent President Abraham Lincoln. The poor lad, was only 21 years old, and had been pushed into the side of the train, dropping between the gap and being crushed by the wheels.

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The funeral took place a week later, with his mother, Mary Todd Lincoln, looking weaker and older, was shrieking in horror, "We had already lost one son, and his loss was to much for me to bear, I choose to keep him away from the front line, so I did not have to make another sacrifice, but he has been, taken away from me anyway, does God have it out for me." Eleven year old Tad, was being kept close by her side.
His father, Abraham, was a sad, shrunken shell of his former self, he had seemed to have aged more in these last 5 years then he had in the previous 50 years put together.
The man famous for his speeches, kept quiet through out the whole service, with his eyes fixed on the casket and his mind concerntrating on a million and one things.

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A few weeks later on, 11th May 1864, President Abraham Lincoln, informed the nation, on the lawn of the White House, that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming Presidential election, due to the fact that he needed to put all his strengh and effort into helping his family through this tragic time, stating that if he was to lose to last two remaining family members, he would not be fit to carry on as President.

The Republican party was in a frenzy, who would lead their party now, Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase declared his intention to run as president, as soon as he had heard the news, as well as Commanding General Ulysses S. Grant and Vice President Hannibal Hamlin.

Secretary of State, William H. Seward and Ambassador to France, William L. Dayton, would later add their name to the list, one thing was for sure, who ever won the nomination, would have to deal with the continuing mess of the civil war and the reparations of all the damage caused by it, wether it was physical, political, social or economical.
 
Under 24 hours left and it seems that William H. Seward, will be the Republican nominee to go against General George B. McClellan, in the 1864 Presidential Election.

Once this closes I will carry on with this time line :)
 
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