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Throughout history, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. 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 extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments 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 presidential authority”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. 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 at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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