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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now led to a television production titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter 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 affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power 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 presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. 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 finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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