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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law