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For generations, the heirs of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual 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 “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, 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 fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law