Pierce’s son killed.
Two months before taking office as President, Franklin Pierce and his family are struck by tragedy. A train wreck kills the Pierces’ eleven-year-old son, Benjamin, the only surviving child of his marriage. Jane Pierce, already unhappy with the prospect of moving to Washington, interprets the death as a condemnation of her husband’s decision to be President and becomes a recluse. President Pierce, meanwhile, is grief and guilt-stricken when he enters office.