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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned 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 historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate 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 agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. 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 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement 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 earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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