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For generations, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, 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 became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. 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 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to 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 clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. 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 route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law