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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law