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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a television production titled the historical drama, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue 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 agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

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 patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — 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 Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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