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For generations, the family members of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and how he was and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member 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 faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. 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 fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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