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For generations, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about 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 short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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