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For generations, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

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 mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law