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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. 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.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power 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 rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a history of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law