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For generations, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight 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 gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, 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 rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning 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 created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law