The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 was not the first attempt on Lincoln’s life.
In 1861, the Syracuse Journal reported that the presidential train was leaving Cincinnati when a grenade “of the most destructive character was discovered in the car occupied by Abraham Lincoln, his family and personal friends.
It was found in a small carpet bag that was placed on a seat of the car by some unknown person.
It was easily spotted because no baggage was allowed in the cars. On examination the grenade concealed in the carpet bag was discovered to be ignited.
It was set to go off in fifteen minutes, and it would have exploded with a force strong enough to have demolished the car and kill everyone inside the car.
