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For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds 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 entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

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

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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