Abraham Lincoln's youngest son, Thomas, was called "Tad"—a name Lincoln himself gave him because he constantly wriggled around like a tadpole as a child. Born in 1853, Tad grew up filled with both laughter and sorrow. His older brother, Willie, was his closest friend, and the White House became their playground during the Civil War. Tad was a playful, lovable, and unpredictable child. He would sneak into Cabinet meetings at will, herd goats on the White House lawn, and run around the palace as if the house belonged to him.
Amidst the heavy responsibilities of the Civil War and the grief of constant deaths, Lincoln softened towards his son, Tad. Tad's innocent pranks were one of the few things that could bring a smile to Lincoln's face. Their relationship deepened after Willie's illness in 1862. Willie's death shattered the entire family. Tad also fell ill at the same time, and he recovered only through his father's support. Lincoln, bearing the burden of the nation's grief, kept his surviving son close to him—at times, Tad would sleep in his office, just to be close to his father.
To the public, Lincoln was a president. To Tad, he was simply his "Papa." They would share meals, evening walks, and private jokes whenever they could. During the war, Tad often accompanied his father—sometimes to the War Department, sometimes lying on the floor while Lincoln worked late into the night.
When Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Tad was only twelve years old. He repeatedly cried, "Pa is dead..." as if unable to understand how his world could continue without him. After the assassination, Tad and his mother traveled the world for some time, but the spark of his childhood never fully returned. Tad also died in 1871, probably from illness, at the age of just eighteen. His short life was spent amidst love, grief, and the heavy shadows of history.
The story of Abraham Lincoln and Tad is not a story of politics or war. It is the story of a father and son—two fragile hearts who, despite the changing world, found small slivers of warmth in each other.
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