Late January 1863: While riding outside on a cold winter's day, Confederate President Jefferson Davis catches a cold; although it would not be discovered untill latter that evening. He falls ill and after several days, pneumonia sets in.
Mid Feburary 1863: After battling pneumonia for several weeks (it had been basically an up and down struggle: Davis would go several days looking and acting fine, but then he would start to go down, only to come back up again) Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy, dies. His death would come as a shock to many who thought that Davis could lead the Confederacy to victory, no matter what. The question now was: who would succeed him and would they be up to the task?