Today in History: James A. Garfield

Historical photograph of the assassination of President Garfield
Today in History–July 2–the Library of Congress features James A. Garfield, who was shot on this day in 1881 not long after he became the 20th president of the United States. The gunshot didn’t kill Garfield, however, infection caused by doctors probing the president’s wound with unwashed hands did. Find out more the attempts to save President Garfield in the Today in History section, then click the links below to learn more .

Primary source sets

Select historic newspaper articles

  • “The Election” Sacramento Daily Record-Union (Sacramento, CA), 3 November 1880, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Between Several Fires” The Sun (New York, NY), 30 November 1880, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Appointments to Office” New-York Tribune (New York, NY), 24 March 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “The New York Collectorship” Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), 25 March 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Lord Roscoe Resigns” Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha, NE), 17 May 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
  • “Assassin’s Work” Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), 3 July 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “The Death Bed” Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), 20 September 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Dorsey’s Dose” [How Garfield was elected], Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), 20 July 1883, Page 2, Image 2, col. 1.
  • “The President Shot” The New York Tribune (New York, NY), July 3, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “The Assassination” The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, UT), July 3, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 4.
  • “Our President” The Evening Critic (Washington, DC), July 4, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Garfield’s Chances still weighing in Balance” The Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), July 5, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “President Garfield” The New York Tribune (New York, NY), July 20, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “A Safe Trip” The Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha, NE), September 7, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “A Sad Tale” The Evening Critic (Washington, DC), September 21, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
  • “Grief,” The Sacramento Daily Record Union (Sacramento, CA), September 24, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 2.
  • “It Is Finished” The National Tribune (Washington, DC), September 24, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “In Memoriam,” The Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), September 26, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Death of the President” Shenandoah Herald (Woodstock, VA), September 28, 1881, Page 1, Image 1, col. 3.
  • “Porter’s Great Speech” The Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), January 25, 1882, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Guiteau Found Guilty” The Waco Daily Examiner (Waco, TX), January 26, 1882, Page 1, Image 1, col. 5.
  • “Guiteau!” The Evening Critic (Washington, DC), June 30, 1882, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.
  • “Justice at Last” The Daily Globe (St. Paul, MN), July 1, 1882, Page 1, Image 1, col. 1.

Select magazine articles

Select printed ephemera

More resources