There are two options that fits to be correct. But I guess you need only one. So my answer is <span>a. to place the US Army and Navy in one executive department.</span>
John Bell Hood<span> ... Hood was severely wounded in the arm at Gettysburg and was forced to hand off</span>command, and soon thereafter lost a leg at Chickamauga. After some recovery, he ... Hood marched hisarmy<span> into Tennessee where his forces were crippled trying to break through Union breastworks at the</span>Battle<span> of Franklin.</span>
Let's think about this. What would HURT Lincoln's chances of winning? If Douglas supported Lincoln, his votes would go to Lincoln, HELPING him. (A is wrong). If the Constitutional Union supported Lincoln, THEIR votes would go to him and also help (B is wrong).
But at this point, the Democratic party was split over the issue of slavery, leading to the Southern Democratic party. If the parties were still united, they probably would have been able to overpower the Republicans. C is correct!
Answer: C. the democratic parties staying together rather than splitting.