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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating 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 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate 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 sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. 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 clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority 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 executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning 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. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, 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 appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law