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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now mostly overlooked 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 a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. 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 extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual 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 major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. 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. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington 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 nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law