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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable 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 was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered 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 annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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