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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. 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 middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law