James A Garfield

September 19, 1881-James Abram Garfield, 20th President of the United States, died. He was exactly two months shy of his 50th birthday. The President had been shot on July 2 and lingered since, suffering more from the era's misguided medical treatment than from Charles Guiteau's bullets. The partial recollection of General David Swaim, Garfield's close friend, who was with the President when he died:

"Shortly after this the President awoke. As he turned his head on awakening, I arose and took hold of his hand. I was on the left hand side of the bed as he lay. I remarked: 'You have had a nice comfortable sleep.'

He then said, 'O Swaim, this terrible pain,' placing his right hand on his breast about over the region of the heart. I asked him if I could do anything for him. He said, 'Some water.' I went to the other side of the room and poured about an ounce and a half of Poland water into a glass and gave it to him to drink. He took the glass in his hand, I raising his head as usual, and drank the water very naturally. I then handed the glass to the colored man, Daniel, who came in during the time I was getting the water. Afterward I took a napkin and wiped his forehead, as he usually perspired on awaking. He then said, 'O Swaim, this terrible pain--press your hand on it.' I laid my hand on his chest. He then threw both hands up to the sides and about on a line with his head, and exclaimed: 'O Swaim, can't you stop this?' And again, 'O Swaim!'

I then saw him looking at me with a staring expression. I asked him if he was suffering much pain. Receiving no answer, I repeated the question, with like result. I then concluded that he was either dying or was having a severe spasm, and called to Daniel, who was at the door, to tell Dr. Bliss and Mrs. Garfield to come immediately, and glanced at the small clock hanging on the chandelier nearly over the foot of his bed and saw that it was ten minutes past 10 o'clock [P.M.].

...In a very few moments Mrs. Garfield came in and said: 'What does this mean?' and a moment after exclaimed: 'Oh, why am I made to suffer this cruel wrong?' At 10:30 P.M. the sacrifice was complete. He breathed his last calmly and peaceably."