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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed 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, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed 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 failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered 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 nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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