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Throughout history, the family members of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. 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 lived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member 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 conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law