James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, was shot on July 2, 1881, and died on September 19, 1881. His death reshaped the political landscape and raised urgent questions about presidential security and medical practices of the era.
Understanding who killed James Garfield and why requires examining the assassin, the political context, and the institutional failures that followed the shooting. This article breaks down the key people, events, and consequences surrounding his death.
| Key Figure | Role | Action or Influence | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles J. Guiteau | Assassin | Shot President Garfield at a Washington railroad station | Executed after trial |
| James A. Garfield | President | Led post-Civil War reforms; advocated for civil service | Died from wounds and infection |
| Alexander Graham Bell | Inventor | Attempted to locate the bullet with a metal detector | Unsuccessful due to bed springs interfering |
| Doctors | Medical Team | Probed the wound with unsterilized fingers and instruments | Introduced infection, prolonging suffering |
Profile of the Assassin
Charles J. Guiteau’s Background and Motive
Charles J. Guiteau was a disappointed office seeker with a history of erratic behavior. He expected a diplomatic post after campaigning for Garfield’s election, and when passed over, he concluded the president owed him a position.
Guiteau’s sense of entitlement and mental instability led him to decide that removing Garfield would both punish the president and help the Republican Party by creating a vacancy he could influence.
The Shooting Event
Circumstances at the Washington Railroad Station
On July 2, 1881, Garfield arrived at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C., unaccompanied by tight security. Guiteau stepped forward and fired twice from a revolver, striking Garfield in the back and the arm.
The public initially viewed the act as the tragedy of a disappointed office seeker, not yet recognizing the long term implications for presidential security protocols.
Medical Mismanagement and Its Consequences
Unsanitary Practices That Prolonged Garfield’s Suffering
Garfield’s doctors inserted unsterilized fingers and instruments into the wound, searching for the bullet lodged near his spine. This introduced infection and turned a survivable injury into a protracted, painful decline.
Innovative attempts such as Alexander Graham Bell’s metal detector were undermined by the medical environment, illustrating how limited scientific understanding compounded the president’s fate.
Political Fallout and Civil Service Reform
How the Assassination Advanced Reform
The shocking death of Garfield intensified demands for civil service reform, discumbing the spoils system that had enabled Guiteau’s sense of entitlement to an office in the first place.
Within a year, the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act passed, establishing merit based exams for many federal positions and reducing political patronage in government hiring.
Long Term Impact and Security Legacy
The assassination directly influenced the creation of the United States Secret Service, although the agency’s original mandate was to combat currency counterfeiting before it expanded to include presidential protection.
This shift marked a fundamental rethinking of how the nation guards its leaders, ensuring that figures like Garfield would not be as vulnerable to opportunistic violence in the future.
- Assassin Charles J. Guiteau acted out of personal entitlement and political frustration.
- Inadequate medical practices, not the initial shooting, largely caused Garfield’s death.
- The case spurred the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, ending the spoils system.
- Public outrage from the event led to the expansion of presidential security measures.
- Garfield’s death remains a turning point in American political and administrative history.
FAQ
Reader questions
Why did Charles Guiteau believe he was justified in shooting Garfield?
Guiteau believed he had helped Garfield win the presidency and expected a reward in the form of a diplomatic post. When he did not receive the position, he felt wronged and convinced himself that killing the president would both punish him and serve the party.
Could Garfield have survived with modern medical care?
Yes, modern wound care, imaging, and sterile techniques would very likely have saved Garfield’s life, as infection was the primary cause of his prolonged suffering and eventual death.
What specific changes did the Pendleton Act introduce after Garfield’s assassination?
The Pendleton Act created a merit based civil service system, requiring competitive exams for many federal jobs and protecting government employees from being removed for political reasons.
How has Garfield’s legacy been reassessed in light of the circumstances of his death?
Historians recognize Garfield’s commitment to civil service reform and his potential for further leadership, while his death remains a pivotal moment that exposed the dangers of political patronage and inadequate presidential security.