Cold Open

It’s 9:15 AM, on July 2nd, 1881, in Washington, D.C.

A carriage containing the 20th President of the United States of America comes to a stop outside the Sixth Street Station.

49-year-old James A. Garfield steps out, closely followed by his Secretary of State, James Blaine. Garfield straightens his jacket and top hat before making his way into the busy train station.

He nods to those who recognize him, but for the most part, he passes unnoticed. He’s just another passenger trying to escape the city’s sweltering summer heat.

Garfield has only been President for four months, but the responsibility of the office already weighs heavily on him. He’s tired, stressed, and ready for a few days away from the capital. Today, he’s planning on meeting his wife and daughter in Long Branch, New Jersey.

But he’ll only get there if he hurries. Garfield’s train is due to leave shortly, and the strict railroad timetable means that they won’t for even the President.

So Garfield and Secretary Blaine hustle into a busy waiting room, hoping to take a shortcut to the platform. But when they’re halfway through the crowd…a gunshot rings out, and Garfield feels a searing pain in his shoulder.

He cries out, and then a second shot slams into his back. Stumbling, he falls into the arms of Secretary Blaine.

As Blaine calls desperately for help, President Garfield collapses to the ground, blood already soaking through his shirt.

Only sixteen years after Abraham Lincoln was gunned down, another assassin has tried to take the life of a U.S. President. This time, the would-be killer has a very different motive—but the outcome will be the same, because in just over two months, President James A. Garfield will succumb to the bullets fired by his assassin on July 2nd, 1881.

Introduction

From Noiser and Airship, I’m Lindsay Graham and this is History Daily.

History is made every day. On this podcast—every day—we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world.

Today is July 2nd, 1881: The Assassination of President Garfield.

Act One: An Unlikely Candidate

It’s September 20th, 1863, in Chickamauga, Georgia, 18 years before President James Garfield is shot.

Dressed in a Brigadier General's uniform, the 31-year-old Garfield kicks his horse forward a few steps. Galloping toward him is what appears to be a messenger in the Union Army. But Garfield’s taking no chances. It’s not unknown for Confederate spies to disguise themselves in an attempt to get close to enemy commanders—and right alongside Garfield is General William Rosecrans, the commander of the Army of the Cumberland, one of the principal Union forces in the war.

So, Garfield puts his horse in the way of the messenger before he can get within striking distance of the general. But when the rider pulls up, Garfield recognizes him as one of their own. He has a report from the front lines, where Union forces are struggling to fight off a Confederate attack.

Hearing the news, Garfield scowls. The Union Army is already isolated. They’re deep in Confederate territory, and his soldiers are exhausted after a long march to get here. Dismissing the messenger, Garfield discusses the report with General Rosecrans and other senior staff. With their backs against the wall, Rosecrans raises the possibility of retreat.

But Garfield's not so sure that withdrawing is a good idea. Despite their distance from the front, Garfield can hear gunfire, and in his opinion, it sounds controlled and organized. Garfield suspects that although the commanders on the ground may be panicking, the Union soldiers themselves are still holding the enemy back. In fact, if General Rosecrans reinforces the front line now, the battle could be won.

When Garfield explains his thinking to General Rosecrans, his superior shakes his head. Rosecrans is convinced that the fight is over. But Garfield won’t take no for an answer. Although he risks a reprimand for insubordination, he continues to press his case. Eventually, Rosecrans gives Garfield permission to assess the situation for himself at the front. So, Garfield spurs his horse and plunges into the fighting.

Being sure of his beliefs is nothing new for Garfield. Five years ago, he was elected to the Ohio State Senate as a member of the new antislavery Republican Party. But his political career was soon interrupted by the outbreak of civil war. As a committed abolitionist, Garfield was eager to enlist and fight on the side of the Union. And after helping drive the Confederates out of Eastern Kentucky, Garfield gained a reputation as a brave and astute commander, and he was appointed to General Rosecrans’s staff.

And now, as Garfield rides to the front lines at Chickamauga, he sees that his instincts were correct. The Union line is holding off the Confederate attack. But when Garfield sends for further reinforcements, General Rosecrans denies his request and orders Garfield to join the other Union soldiers as they pull back.

The Battle of Chickamauga becomes a humiliating defeat for the Union. When the casualties are tallied, more than 1,600 soldiers are dead. And over 14,000 are either wounded, captured, or missing. In the aftermath of this catastrophe, President Abraham Lincoln knows exactly who to blame, and General Rosecrans is relieved of his command.

But the young Brigadier General Garfield avoids censure. Back in Washington, Lincoln praises Garfield for his bravery and promotes him to the rank of Major General. Garfield’s time on the battlefield is over, however. Lincoln believes that Garfield can better serve the Union by returning to politics. The country has plenty of generals, but not many politicians with an understanding of the military. So, with the president’s blessing, Garfield stands for election as a Republican in Ohio and wins a seat to the House of Representatives.

There, in Congress, Garfield helps support the Union triumph in the Civil War. And over the next fifteen years, he carves out a reputation in Washington as an accomplished politician. But his career takes an unexpected turn in 1880. The Republican National Convention fails to unite behind a single candidate for the presidency. And after 34 ballots can’t break the deadlock, Garfield’s name is thrown into the mix as a compromise. Soon, the momentum is with him. And despite never seeking the presidency, Garfield is named the Republican nominee for the White House—and after a hard-fought race with fellow Civil War hero Winfield Scott, in November 1880, Garfield is elected the 20th President of the United States.

But the tight margin of victory means that not everyone in the country is happy to see Garfield take the oath of office. Although the American Civil War is more than a decade in the past, North and South are still divided. The country is also split over immigration and tariff policy. And a faction of Garfield’s own Republican Party refuses to support him, complaining that Garfield’s promised civil service reforms will deny fellow Republicans the chance to govern.

But this is just a political dispute, until it turns deadly when one man’s failure to land a job in government will cause him to seek violent revenge.

Act Two: A Dangerous Man

It’s the morning of June 12th, 1881, in Washington, D.C., three months after James A. Garfield was inaugurated President of the United States.

At the back of a crowded church, 39-year-old Charles Guiteau cranes his neck to try and gain a view of the worshipers in the front pew. From his vantage point, he can just about make out the graying hair of President Garfield alongside his wife and children.

Guiteau is sweating in the summer heat. His hair is a mess, and his clothes are crumpled. A few parishioners edge away from him, but Guiteau barely notices. Instead, he slips his hand into his coat pocket and slowly strokes a concealed pistol. Guiteau finds the cool ivory handle reassuring, and he grips onto the weapon as the sermon draws to a close. Then, he steels himself, waiting for the congregation to file out at the end of the service—because that is the moment he’ll shoot the President.

Charles Guiteau’s life has been a failure so far. He’s bounced from job to job without success. As a lawyer, he lost his only case. As an author, he wrote a book that flopped. He was kicked out of a religious sect, and his family tried to have him committed to an asylum. Most recently, he’s turned his hand to political speechwriting, but that hasn't been going well either.

At the 1880 Republican Convention, Guiteau wrote a speech backing former President Ulysses S. Grant for the nomination—but when James Garfield’s candidacy gained momentum, Guiteau altered his text, nearly swapping Grant’s name for Garfield’s. After distributing pamphlets of his speech to anyone who’d take them, Guiteau believed that he had played a major role in Garfield winning the Presidential Election. Ever since, Guiteau has been petitioning Garfield’s administration to be named as a U.S. ambassador. But his delusional letters have been ignored.

Now, Guiteau is determined to make Garfield pay for this snub. To Guiteau, the President is a turncoat—someone who’s betrayed not just him, but the Republican factions who never wanted Garfield in the first place. In Guiteau’s warped mind, if he kills the new president, some Republicans will consider him a hero.

So as the service ends, and President Garfield rises from his seat, nodding and smiling to fellow parishioners. He passes within a yard of Guiteau, but Guiteau doesn’t take the pistol out of his pocket. Instead, he watches blankly as the president walks out of the church, with no idea how close he just came to death.

Guiteau joins the rest of the congregation as they file outside. He persuades himself that he didn’t shoot because a stray bullet could have hit one of the other churchgoers. He can’t admit to himself that he lost his nerve and refuses to let go of his violent fantasy.

So over the next few weeks, Guiteau stalks the president further. He loiters outside the White House. He follows Garfield to church every Sunday. But although he has several opportunities to fire his gun, every time, Guiteau finds an excuse for not acting. Sometimes he worries about the disgrace that will fall on his family should he murder the President. Other times he blames his own health for his failures. But despite his inability to pull the trigger, the desire to kill Garfield never leaves him.

Then, on the morning of July 1st, 1881, Guiteau reads in a newspaper that President Garfield is scheduled to travel to New Jersey by train the following day. So that next morning, Guiteau places the ivory-handled pistol back in his pocket and makes his way to the station. He finds an empty waiting room and stands behind the door. Over the next few minutes, the room fills with passengers for the New Jersey train. And then, just before 9:30 AM, President Garfield hurries in alongside Secretary of State James Blaine.

Garfield then walks within a few feet of Guiteau —and this time, Guiteau doesn’t allow himself to hesitate. In one swift motion, he pulls the gun from his pocket and fires. He pulls the trigger twice, hitting Garfield in the shoulder and back.

Then, as a rush of adrenaline courses through his body, Guiteau flees the scene. But the waiting room is busy, and Guiteau has to push through the crowd to escape. This delay means he doesn’t even make it out of the train station before a police officer apprehends him. Guiteau doesn’t fight the arrest—instead, he calmly announces to the officer that Vice President Chester A. Arthur is now the President of the United States.

But Guiteau has jumped the gun. President Garfield is still alive, although seriously wounded. And the next few hours are crucial, and the actions of Garfield’s doctors will decide whether the President lives or dies.

Act Three: Holding On

It’s July 2nd, 1881, at the White House in Washington, D.C., an hour after President James A. Garfield was shot.

Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln closes the door of a bedroom, ignoring the concerned faces of the staff gathered in the hallway outside. With the onlookers shut out, Robert turns and takes in the grim scene before him. President Garfield is lying on a blood-soaked mattress, groaning in pain as a doctor probes his injuries with a finger. A few cabinet members stand back, clearly unsure what to do. But Robert’s mind is clear, because this is not his first brush with political violence.

Sixteen years ago, Robert’s father, Abraham Lincoln, was assassinated while serving as the President. And in the aftermath of that shooting, Robert rushed to the house where Lincoln was taken. He was with his father when he died. Inspired by his father’s life of public service, Robert followed him into politics, and, a few months ago, he was named Secretary of War by the new President, James Garfield.

Earlier today, Robert accompanied Garfield to the train station. He was walking only 40 feet behind the president and had a clear view of the attack. In the moments that followed, it was Robert who took charge and arranged for the president to be brought back to the White House. Now, everyone still seems to be looking to him to lead them.

The doctor straightens up and wipes his bloody hands on a rag. He turns to Robert and declares that a bullet is still in the president’s body—but despite searching the wound, he can’t find it. All he can do now is patch up the injuries and pray they don’t become infected.

But the doctor’s hopes are soon dashed. Although Garfield survives the initial trauma of the shooting, his condition gradually worsens as the wounds begin to smell and drip pus. He suffers from fevers, struggles to keep down food, and his weight plummets. The doctors try again to find the lodged bullet. They even ask inventor Alexander Graham Bell to find it with a rudimentary metal detector. But whatever they try, the bullet remains stuck in Garfield’s body.

The once large, strong Garfield wastes away. The bedbound president is carried by train to a coastal mansion in hope that the sea air will help. But it’s too late. President Garfield dies on September 19th, 1881, two and a half months after he was shot.

During the trial that follows Garfield’s death, Charles Guiteau’s insanity plea is rejected, and he’ll be convicted and executed for murder. After the second assassination of a U.S. President in less than twenty years, security will be improved too, but it won’t prevent further tragedy. Twenty years later, another President, William McKinley, will also be shot at point-blank range. And once again, one of the first visitors to McKinley’s bedside will be Robert Todd Lincoln, just as Robert was quickly on the scene when his father was killed, and when President James A. Garfield was shot on July 2nd, 1881.uly 2nd,, 2012 in the Persian Gulf, 24 years after Iran Flight 655 was shot down.

Outro

Next on History Daily. July 3rd, 1988. 290 people are killed when a US Navy warship mistakes an Iranian passenger plane for a hostile aircraft.

From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily, hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham.

Audio editing by Muhammed Shahzaib.

Sound design by Mollie Baack.

Supervising Sound Designer Matthew Filler.

Music by Thrumm.

This episode is written and researched by by Owen Paul Nicholls.

Edited by Scott Reeves.

Managing producer Emily Burke.

Executive Producers are William Simpson for Airship, and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.