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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for 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 major battle 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 powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law