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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now led to a streaming series titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration 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 surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events 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 logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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