Not every great leader or warrior dies heroically surrounded by thousands of enemy soldiers or saving a bus load of kids. Sometimes a great life is ended too soon and unexpectedly.
After leading the nation through one of it's toughest times, this man spent 9 hours dying in a bed that was too small for him.
Shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was taken across the street to a boarding house where he was placed in a bed that his feet dangled off of. He died 9 hours later on the morning of April 15.
Though famous for spending most of his life playing with some of the world's most dangerous reptiles, this man was killed by a fish.
Though known as the Crocodile Hunter for his fearless antics with the large reptiles, as well as with many other deadly animals including venomous snakes, Steve Irwin died when his heart was punctured by a stingray barb.
This royal humanitarian died in a car accident while fleeing paparazzi
Princess Diana was famed as a princess and a humanitarian, she was killed in a car accident attributed to negligent driving and pursuing paparazzi
This famed War of 1812 General died of pneumonia and didn't get to fill his elected position for very long
William Henry Harrison, a famed leader during the War of 1812, died about a month into his presidency after contracting pneumonia during his inaugural address
Shot by his own men, this great leader during the Civil War died in a pneumonic haze after his arm was amputated
Stonewall Jackson was shot by his own men at the battle of Chancellorsville. His arm was amputated and he contracted pneumonia, dying in a feverish daze a few days later.
This great American explorer died dishonored and impoverished in a small inn in Tennessee in 1809.
Merriweather Lewis died of multiple gunshot wounds, debated to be self-inflicted, while trying to deliver his journals to Washington D.C. for publication. After his famed expedition to the Northwest, his reputation and fortune gradually withered and he hoped his journals would provide financial and personal redemption
A pioneer of the Marines and hero of the Barbary Wars, this outspoken leader died in 1811 a rheumatic and ruined alcholic
William Eaton led a daring marine expedition into the Barbary States on a mission to rescue American sailors and end tribute being paid to Barbary pirate states. Though he defeated the stronghold of Tripoli and seemed poised to end the war, a peace was negotiated that Eaton considered less than what he could have won. He became indebted because of the expenses he'd incurred during the war and failed as a politician and died a broken and desolate man.
Though one of history's best military leaders, this WWII General died of complications from a minor car accident in December 1945, after surviving the war he had been such a centra
George S. Patton was a general specializing in tank warfare in World War II and is considered one of history's best military leaders. He died of complications from a car accident that occurred at low speeds in December 1945.
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