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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee 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 unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law