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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the presidential series, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. 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 extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position 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 dispute became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law