Ambushed! The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield

by Gail Jarrow

This title blends science, history, and medical mysteries to tell the story of the assassination and ultimately horrible death of President James Garfield.

James Abram Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, was assassinated when he was shot by Charles Guiteau in July 1881, less than four months after he was elected president. But Garfield didn't actually die until 80 days later. In this book author Gail Jarrow delves into the story of the relationship between Garfield and Guiteau, and relates the gruesome details of Garfield's slow and agonizing death. She reveals medical mistakes made in the aftermath of Garfield's assassination, including the faulty diagnoses and outdated treatments that led to the president's demise.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Middle Grade, Biography, Historical, Science, Presidents

235 pages, Hardcover

Published October 12, 2021

About the author

Gail Jarrow is the award-winning author of nonfiction books and novels for readers 8-18. Latest book: WHITE HOUSE SECRETS: MEDICAL LIES AND COVER-UPS. Visit GailJarrow.com.

Reviews

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love youth nonfiction, especially on subjects which I have no previous knowledge. I eat up those simplified sentences; give me additional background on how medical procedures today would have saved Garfield's life. I am your target audience whether you know it or not.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This, good for older children / tweens or young adults, is an intriguing and well-researched account about the assassination plot and circumstances that surrounded Garfield's death and what happened after. To help illustrate the story [if you will] are drawings, photographs, maps, diagrams and more!

This book packs a lot of information into just over 200 pages, but in an easy-to-read, easy-to understand format.

At the end of the book is a Glossary, Timeline, More to Explore, which is a list of active websites (at the time of publication), an Author's Note, Acknowledgments, Source Notes, a Bibliography that includes the * which indicates a Primary Source, and Index, and a list of Photo Credits.

Outstanding!

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did the bullets from a crazed assassin's gun kill President James Garfield, or was it the ignorance and incompetency of his doctors that led to his long, agonizing demise? A gripping story of madness and medical incompetency.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope to never read a book with a chapter entitled "Channel of Pus" again. Other than that, this was a great tween/teen nonfiction read.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this because we don't often hear much about President Garfield in US History courses (AP or non-AP in high school) and I was genuinely curious. Turns out the plot to kill him is less the focus of this book than is the fact that he was shot and the "medical care" he got afterward.

And it quickly becomes apparent why: he's best known, not for anything he did as President, poor chap, but because all kinds of ignorant doctors of the time period stuck their unwashed, un-sanitized fingers and other implements into him after he was shot (including a few who were in the train station!) and … dare I say, rummaged around in there? Spreading bacteria and goodness knows what else?

He's a classic case of a medical fiasco if ever there was one, and as good a reason as any to thank your lucky stars you were born *when* you were. When science in medicine reigns supreme. When doctors agree, bacteria exists. Because back in Garfield's day, they didn't. Not always. And people -- like Garfield, poor man -- died because of it.

Nostalgia be darned, "back when" was gross. And Jarrow lays it out for us, that despite the tide of medical knowledge in Europe turning the corner toward requiring physicians to wash hands and sterilize surgical implements (can you imagine doctors not washing hands between surgeries, much less before? Or their scalpels? Ugh!), American doctors remained pig-headed about it and refused to change their ways.

And it's nothing short of incredible how long Garfield survives. I mean, after so many people poked and prodded him, stuck their fingers and their tools inside his body, his body and immune system deserve much more credit for keeping him alive as long as they did! I walked away equally dumbstruck by how amazing the human body is and how incredibly stubborn people can be.

A fantastic non-fiction read! Enjoy.


Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?

Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything by Gail Jarrow is magical and worth sharing. (Important note: I shared the previous Medical Fiascoes book (Blood and Germs) with 7th graders on a school visit last year and made one student vomit - oops! - so be aware that the details and photos in this nonfiction trilogy are quite accurate. Which to me is awesome, but maybe don't read any of her medical themed titles on a day you feel queasy.) Ambushed was just about as perfect as nonfiction gets, except for a formatting error on a 2 page spread about the doctors involved, which is no fault of the author. I will admit that I didn't remember whether President Garfield lived or died (embarrassing, but true), which made the story that much more engrossing. I loved how Gail mixed the history of medicine, the state of the nation, and the history of the key players to make one engrossing title. I shared it with my coworker the day after reading it. No vomiting involved, so my booktalking skills may be improving. ;)

[Jamie Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clearly written and easy to follow, this nonfiction book tells the story of Garfield's rise to the Presidency after the Civil War, why Guiteau was hellbent on assassinating him, and how the shooting turned into a medical fiasco that influenced the future of science, microbes, and the use of antiseptics. If you wanted to use this with middle/high school students, you might only need the second half of the book. Would be great to use to blend history and literacy in science classes.

[Arlene Weible · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of Garfield assassination plus the state of medicine in U.S. in 1880s.

[Mel Stebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambushed was an amazing book. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the breakdown of the characters. I learned a lot about President Garfield, I didn't know all the stuff that was in this book about him. I really enjoyed the layout of the book, and the pictures throughout the book so we could understand what we were reading and see it.

I haven't ever read a book like this before; it was something that I really enjoyed reading, and I'm excited to read others like it. I loved the history behind ambushed, and the thoughtfulness the author had to put in for it. I would enjoy writing a story myself like this one day, it would take time and effort but really think I would be able to learn a lot of things from doing a story like this. I loved learning about President Garfield, and his time as president, I didn’t realize how little I knew about him until I read this story of him. He really was an incredible man and did so much good for this world. He’s such an example to me and to anyone who has been around him, as far as what he stood for, and how he helped our country.

[Vicki Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know anything about President Garfield and found this book very informative. What a tragic loss of an upright, man of integrity who might have led our country well if his term was not cut short by assassination and poor medical care. The way the author describes his upbringing, thirst for knowledge, political career and unlikely presidency makes you want to keep reading. It was a great glimpse into this period of time as well. I highly recommend it and think young people interested in history would enjoy reading it as well.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a truly fascinating read. I love the way that Jarrow presents her research and information. There are always incredible photographs included, as well as plenty of first-hands accounts and quotes. I can't wait to read more from her!

[Natalie Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Garfield: the American president you've never heard of! Having read Ambushed, I now feel the need to rectify the undue obscurity of this truly extraordinary man. Born into poverty, Garfield was a studious soul who became a respected U.S. congressman at the tender age of thirty-two. An impressive figure, he was a proponent of emancipation, a family man, and the rare politician that never lost a single election.

Unfortunately, although Lincoln had been assassinated just 15 years before Garfield took office, the Secret Service did not yet exist. Neither did sound medical sanitation practices. Three short months after Garfield became president, he was victim of an assassination attempt. While America hoped and prayed for the recovery of their beloved president, his doctors slowly and unwittingly took part in a tragedy. Riveting and informative, this is a must-read book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dry in parts, though incredibly informative. This is a story about the history of medical practices almost as much as the timeline of events leading up to Garfield's assassination.

Charles Guiteau shot President Garfield, but in a way... The medical practices of the time were what killed him. This is the devastating chain of events that started with Guiteau and ended with a man suffering for eighty days from what should have been a survivable wound.

There are some drier passages, but some of the fact bombs in here were so head shaking I was repeating them around the house for days... Such as the fact that Reagan''s condition after his own assassination attempt was so dire that at one point he lost half the blood in his body... yet as we all know, he ultimately survived. Or the fact that the Secret Service--though formed the same year that Lincoln was assassinated--wasn't put to the use for presidential protection until after three presidents were assassinated.

Maybe a bit of a tough sell for a younger audience but you could make a dramatic book report out of this.

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, I know a lot about President Garfield! And the fact that this is in a series calls medical fiascoes is very correct. Poor Garfield was treated so inappropriately by doctors after he was shot. It must have been miserable, even though reports say he was in good spirits.

The beginning of the book really digs into the politics and how Garfield came to be president. It can be a little boring but it does inform the rest of the book. The medical part is not too bad if you're squeamish and Jarrow includes a whole section in the back of how things would have gone with the medical knowledge we have today.

[KayKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

An upper middle grade nonfiction about science and the assassination of President Garfield.

Middle grade history books are always easy to follow with the right amount of information without getting too technical or confusing. The books was more than just the assassination. From describing the political and corrupted situation prior Garfield's presidency, to anything pertaining to the post-assassination including the trial, medical treatments/arguments to how the nation was united as a whole after the Cival War were informational.

Overall an enjoyable high quality read for adults and tweens who love history.

[April Acton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating story, especially in illustrating the deadly medical "care" President Garfield received. I've always wondered why his assassination has been forgotten today, including his assassin's name and motivation. Garfield seemed like a loving husband and father who was never given a chance to prove his worth as president. An excellent history book with a terrible lesson about scientific ignorance and lack of protection for a president, even after Lincoln's assassination.
This is a young adult book but would be challenging for younger children.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a great appreciation of Garfield now than I did before, but most of my interest was in the medical details. I wanted more of that -- more details on what medical technology did wrong, what they could have done, how they changed.

The assassin was a sad sack, and the family was nice. This filled in a fairly big chuck of knowledge for me, and did it well. Good references, good index, good notes, although I prefer that notes get tagged in the text.

[Michal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about President Garfield, politics from that period, and old school medical practice. There were lots of pictures. This book was easy and interesting to read. Zoe was not hooked on it but I want to read more from this series.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winner of the 2022 YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award!

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A biography of US President Garfield that then focuses on the man who shot him, and looks at how the medical care he received after the shooting and the lack of understanding of germ theory of the attending physicians led to his death.

I did not know much of anything about President Garfield before reading this and I now have a lot more respect for the man. I mean, the fact that he was giving a speech about the need for unification and putting aside petty differences at a Republican convention led to people not nominating the forerunners but him (he hadn’t even put his name up for nomination). He seemed like a man who really wanted the best for the country, loved his family, worked hard to get to where he was, and was an all around nice guy. The look at how he might have survived the shooting if it had happened just a few years later really put into perspective how things were changing in the medical field at that time and how an awareness of germ theory could have made all the difference. It is a sad story but also makes you appreciate the people who have made discoveries about viruses and bacteria and how to prevent infections. The book is laid out in a very attractive format, and Jarrow obviously did an amazing amount of research to include so many primary resources. This is an admirable work of nonfiction and is presented in a very readable way. Highly recommended.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. (It is mentioned the assassin was not faithful to his wife, but no details on what all was involved.) The US Civil War is a part of the book as is the shooting and medical details on the wound and lethal punishment of the assassin. Gory details are kept clinical and/or related in the exact words of the attending physicians. The use of alcohol as part of the medical regemine is mentioned.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a love-hate relationship with history. When I think back to my school days, history was so incredibly boring. From what I remember, I had to recall names, dates, and major events. But we didn't learn about the actual STUFF that made those events and people important. What made them interesting and worthy of remembering. So when I read a book like this, it is an utter delight.

First let me start by admitting that while I knew we had a President James Garfield, that was all I knew. I knew nothing of the man and I had no idea he had been assassinated. So when I saw this book I was immediately intrigued. The title alone gave me more information than I had before. The book itself is brilliantly put together and organized. There were so many illustrations, photographs, diagrams, telegrams, newspaper excerpts, timeline, etc. that Garfield and his family were brought to life for me.

Garfield was the last president to be born in a log cabin. His family didn't have much money, his father died when he was young. He started working at young age, but was also quite bright and his mother made sure that he had a good education. He married a woman named Lucretia and they had 7 children, 5 survived to adulthood. He served in the Civil War and made the rank of General for the Union. After the war President Lincoln asked him to take his seat in the House of Representatives. He served there for years and then in 1880 the Republican party was in conflict with infighting. In a surprise move, he ended up being voted as the Republican Party Nominee and he won the Presidential vote.

Charles Guiteau grew up with an inflated sense of self-importance. He felt entitled and expected everyone to admire him and treat him as someone important. He wrote a speech for Garfield's presidency, that no one seemed to care about but him. But he expected to be given a position once Garfield assumed the presidency. (This was a thing back then, the Spoils system was something that Garfield was actively working to end. Stop giving jobs to people based on politics and favoritism, instead jobs would go to experience and ability). Guiteau spent months being rejected and ignored by the new President and other gov't leaders. And he realized that the problem was Garfield and once he was gone the country would be saved and he would be the hero for saving the country. So he bought a nice gun (expecting it to go into museums in the future) and wrote letters to the American People and others detailing what he was doing and why.

Garfield was going to take the train to New Jersey to meet up with his wife who was recovering from malaria. Guiteau knew of his trip plans from the papers and was waiting for him in the train station. At this time, President's did not have a Secret Service detail. Even though Lincoln had been assassinated, most people didn't think a man voted into office by the people had any reason to fear an attempt on his life. Guiteau shot Garfield twice, the first bullet grazed his arm the second went into his back.

Guiteau was immediately captured and sent to prison. A doctor was on seen almost immediately but this is where things went horribly wrong for Garfield (well, more than being shot). The doctors did not clean the wound or sterilize their hands or instruments before checking his injury. At this time, germ theory was just getting started and was not widely accepted. The doctors did not realize they were doing anything wrong.

Garfield lived for 80 days after being shot. The entire country came together to pray for his recovery. For the first time, the North and South were united in their feelings. Everyone agreed that what had been done to him was terrible. Every day, multiple times a day, his status and progress was given to the country. He had quite a few doctors attending him, but a Dr Bliss took charge and sadly, his 'way' was not the way in favor of germ theory. He was draining pus and the doctors took this as positive, instead of the infection it was.

To help keep him cool during the hot, humid, summer months a way to cool his room was invented. To help find the bullet lodged in his body, Alexander Graham Bell invented a device to detect metal in the body (sadly, it wasn't accurate until after Garfield's death). And then when Garfield insisted on seeing the ocean, railroad tracks were built overnight to connect to the main rail lines to get him from the White House to the Beach house. Hundreds of thousands came out to show their support and respect.

James died 80 days after being shot. An autopsy was conducted and they learned the bullet was not where they thought it was. All the surgeons agreed the bullet was what killed him, but with the advantage of modern insight that is most likely incorrect. The bullet passed through his back bone and ended near his pancreas. It hit no major organ and the body developed scar tissue around it. It would most likely have remained there causing no harm to Garfield. But the would itself developed infection due to the bacteria that entered the body from the doctor's hands and instruments. If this injury had happened in modern times, Garfield would almost certainly have survived it with minimal negative effect. Garfield was viewed by hundreds of thousands in NJ, the Capital, and in Ohio where he was laid to rest.

Guiteau was tried for murder. His brother-in-law was his defense lawyer and he tried for the insanity plea. It failed. The jury found him guilty after just an hour of deliberation. The judge ordered him to hang in 4 months. And he did. There were two assassination attempt on Guiteau. One man was regarded as a hero and wasn't charged. The other was a guard and he was court-martialed and sentenced to 8 years in prison. Money was raised for his family as most of the country supported him for trying to kill Guiteau and when Arthur became president he pardoned him.

The assassination of Garfield was a huge event for the country in 1881. The entire country came together united in their support for this man. And in today's day most people probably know nothing about this. I know I didn't.

If history was presented this way for all events/people I would be reading history all the time. Did I get a detailed look at Garfield's life? No. And I don't necessary think I needed that. What I got was the main highlights of a man's life and a closer look at the major event that made history. And it was very very well done.

[Briar Gwen Innes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a detailed account of the assassination plot and subsequent medical mistreatment that led to the death of 20th president of the United States of America, James Garfield. Following three stories, the political career of a poverty born Ohio man who carried himself, eventually, to the presidency. Along with the man Charles Guiteau, the assassin who felt snubbed, having an inflated sense of importance and delusions of grandeur. After being shot, the doctors who cared for and worsened the condition of the wounded president.
This book is a good example of Young Adult Non-Fiction done right. The styling and writing make the read quite fast-paced. The story is another highlight as its about a man who had great potential, whose life was cut short. Most people reading this book may know of the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, but may not know much about the assassination of Garfield. The medical investigation aspect of the text is quite compling and may be the focal point of many interested in a future in medicine.

Overall I'll rate Ambushed! The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield, a 4 out of 5.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the summer of 1881, Charles Guiteau shot President James Garfield. For 80 days Garfield's doctors tried to save him, and the whole country followed the news reports. Was it the bullet that killed the President, or was it something else?

Part of Gail Jarrow's "Medical Fiascos" series, Ambushed covers brief biographies of both Garfield and Guiteau. Jarrow is also a master storyteller, and the plot, the shooting, and the aftermath are gripping, exciting, and a bit gross - like the doctors probing the wound, searching for the bullet with their fingers and instruments that haven't been sterilized. Illustrated with magazine and newspaper drawings and headlines from the time period, as well as photographs and other artifacts like telegrams and notes. Includes a glossary, timeline, websites for more information, an author's note, sources, and a bibliography. Certainly buying a copy for my collection.

Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audiobook of "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow is a well-told account of President James Garfield’s assassination, delivered with clarity and emotion by narrator Jonathan Todd Ross. Even if you're familiar with Garfield’s slow decline after being shot by Charles Guiteau, a mentally unstable man with delusions of political importance, this version adds layers of depth. Guiteau believed Garfield owed him a government job and, after being rejected, stalked and shot the president at a D.C. train station. What followed was a medical catastrophe. Doctors probed Garfield’s wound with unsterilized fingers and instruments, ignoring germ theory and likely causing the infections that led to his death. Jarrow’s storytelling blends political drama, medical history, and personal tragedy in a way that’s both educational and compelling.

[Lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

A non-fiction recounting of James Garfield’s life, leading up to and focusing on his assassination and his prolonged death through injury and medical malpractice.

It wasn’t terrible, but it felt more textbook-y than literary non-fiction. It felt very removed from the minds of the characters, with more telling rather than showing, and felt more like a biography of Garfield than the story of his assassination. The format also felt too choppy and jarring for me, with a lot of short sequences, further broken up by pictures.

There was quite a bit of interesting information in there. It may just be a matter of expectations—maybe don’t go into it expecting something with a literary style and plotline like I did.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The parallels between now and the 1880s are astonishing. Back then, the Republican Party was divided between the Stalwarts (MAGA) and the Half-breeds (Rhinos). Garfield got the nomination as a compromise and won the presidency. He was shot by a man who most likely was mentally ill but who also was angry because he had not been given a political patronage job. Garfield lingered for 80 days before dying and in retrospect the division between north and south healed as people came together in their concern for his recovery. As a result of his death, the civil service was created—the same civil service Trump will abolish if elected.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all know about the assassination of Lincoln and JFK. Why do we never hear about the assassination of James Garfield? This book attempts to answer that question while also giving an in depth account of what happened leading up to the event and in the days afterwards.
I found this to be utterly fascinating. I learned all sorts of things that I never knew before. Photographs throughout. Back matter includes glossary, timeline, websites for those who would like to explore further, author's note, acknowledgements, extensive source notes, index, and photo credits.

[KJ Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nonfiction is not my favorite usually but, Gail Jarrow's writing captured me the whole time I was reading Ambushed. This book follows the story of President James Garfield, following how he was assassinated, the medical fiascos, and other issues happening during the time of Garfield's presidency. Jarrow did a ton of research to make sure his book was accurate, but he also made sure it didn't feel like a textbook. This felt like I was reading a fiction story following the life of Garfield and people around him. This book can not only teach but also entertain, amazing book, 5/5.

[Sharon Falduto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A YA nonfiction book about the assissination of President Garfield. I had no idea how little I knew about this topic--how he malingered throughout the summer, giving people hope that he might live (and he might have, too--the bullets didn't kill him so much as the poor hygiene of the doctors did); how the nation hoping for his healing may have brought together a country fractured by Civil War. Well written and interesting.

I didn't need the one page asides about the Civil War or about the assissination of President Lincoln, but then, this book wasn't written for me.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a young adult literature class and really enjoyed it.Had previously read a biography, so I was familiar with the information about the assassination, but appreciated both the focus on the medical fiasco aspect of it (will check out more, it’s a whole series) and the use of primary and contemporary sources throughout.The illustrations from Puck and Harper’s Weekly and the diary and letter quotations gave a very, “you are there,” feeling to the whole thing.