James Garfield Assassination: Facts, Motives & Netflix Accuracy

The image of a president waving from a train station, then crumpling from a bullet, is seared into American memory. But James Garfield’s assassination is more than a tragic moment—it’s a story of a delusional office-seeker, a medical disaster that stretched over 11 weeks, and a political feud that reshaped the government.

20th President of the United States: March 4 – September 19, 1881 ·
Assassination date: July 2, 1881 ·
Age at death: 49 ·
Assassin: Charles Guiteau ·
Successor: Chester A. Arthur

Eight key facts frame Garfield’s life and death in a compact table below.

Why was James Garfield assassinated?

Charles Guiteau’s delusional motives

• Guiteau believed he was owed a consulship in Paris, a position he felt entitled to after delivering a campaign speech for Garfield (Federal Judicial Center handout)
• When Secretary of State James G. Blaine rejected his request, Guiteau concluded that Garfield had been turned against him by Blaine and the “Stalwart” faction of the Republican Party
• Guiteau claimed divine inspiration: he repeatedly said God had commanded him to remove the president to resolve the party’s internal feud (Federal Judicial Center trial handout)

The political context of 1881

• Garfield’s presidency was consumed by a power struggle between the “Stalwart” faction (supporters of patronage) and the “Half-Breeds” (who pushed for reform)
• Guiteau identified as a Stalwart and saw Garfield’s civil service reform efforts as a betrayal
• After shooting Garfield, Guiteau famously declared: “I am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!” (Miller Center account)

Guiteau’s act was not a political statement born of ideology but a deeply personal delusion wrapped in a thin layer of party rhetoric.

How accurate was Death by Lightning?

Historical inaccuracies in the Netflix series

• The series dramatizes Guiteau’s relationship with his sister, which has little historical basis in primary sources
• Garfield’s medical treatment after the shooting is simplified — in reality, multiple physicians probed the wound with unsterilized fingers and instruments, introducing infections that proved fatal (American College of Surgeons article)
• Guiteau’s trial and execution are depicted with some artistic license; the actual trial lasted nearly three months and featured extensive testimony about his insanity

Guiteau’s portrayal vs. historical record

• Historical records show Guiteau as a grandiose, delusional figure who believed he was acting as God’s instrument — a characterization the series largely captures
• However, the series softens his obsession with the consulship; in reality, he had been writing letters to the White House for months before the shooting (Library of Congress guide)

Hollywood needs a clear villain arc; history gives us a mentally ill man who used political language to justify his delusions.

What was President James Garfield known for?

Civil War service and rise to Congress

• Garfield served as a Union major general during the Civil War, leading troops at the Battle of Middle Creek, among others
• He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1862 and served nine consecutive terms, rising to become the Republican floor leader (Miller Center profile)

Brief presidency and civil service reform

• Garfield was inaugurated on March 4, 1881, serving less than four months before being shot (National Park Service article)
• He advocated for civil service reform, challenging the patronage system that had dominated federal appointments
• His conflict with the Stalwart faction, especially over the New York Custom House appointment, directly triggered Guiteau’s anger

Death by assassination

• Garfield died on September 19, 1881, from blood poisoning and multiple abscesses caused by the bullet and subsequent medical interventions (American College of Surgeons article)
• The autopsy revealed that the bullet itself was not fatal — it was the sepsis that killed him

Who became president when James Garfield was assassinated?

Chester A. Arthur’s path to the presidency

• Chester A. Arthur was Garfield’s vice president, a Stalwart himself who had been chosen to balance the ticket
• Arthur assumed office on September 19, 1881, the same day Garfield died (National Archives article)
• Many expected Arthur to continue the patronage machine, but he surprised the nation

Arthur’s unexpected reforms

• In 1883, Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which established a merit-based system for federal jobs and effectively ended the “spoils system” that had fueled Guiteau’s grievance
• This act was a direct response to Garfield’s assassination and Guiteau’s status as a disgruntled office-seeker

The man who benefited from the assassination became the unlikely champion of the reform his predecessor died for.

Was Garfield a good president?

Historians’ rankings of Garfield

• Garfield’s presidency is typically ranked in the middle tier of U.S. presidents — his brief tenure makes assessment difficult
• Historian surveys often place him around 35th to 40th out of 46 presidents, acknowledging his potential but noting he had no major legislative achievements

Comparison with other brief presidencies

• Garfield served only about six months, shorter than William Henry Harrison (one month) but comparable to other brief tenures
• The C-SPAN historian survey of 2021 ranked Garfield 35th, noting his leadership in civil service reform as a highlight

Timeline: The Garfield assassination

• November 19, 1831 — James A. Garfield born in Orange Township, Ohio
• 1856 — Graduated from Williams College
• 1861–1863 — Served as a Union major general in the Civil War
• 1863–1880 — U.S. House of Representatives (9 terms)
• March 4, 1881 — Inaugurated as 20th President
• July 2, 1881 — Shot by Charles Guiteau at Washington D.C. train station (Miller Center account)
• September 19, 1881 — Garfield dies; Chester A. Arthur becomes president
• June 30, 1882 — Charles Guiteau executed by hanging

Confirmed facts and what remains unclear

Quotes from the historical record

“I am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!”

— Charles Guiteau, immediately after shooting Garfield (Miller Center account)

“My work is done.”

— James Garfield, last known words (National Archives article)

Guiteau claimed that God had inspired him to remove the president and resolve the Republican Party’s internal struggles.

— Federal Judicial Center trial summary

Garfield’s death reshaped the presidency, but the man himself remains a figure of what might have been. The assassination was not a random act of violence, but the product of a cynical political system, a mentally ill man, and a medical establishment that failed its patient.

While the Netflix series captures the political drama, the real tragedy was the medical failure that killed him, as doctors’ unsterilized hands turned a survivable wound into a fatal infection.

Frequently asked questions