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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled the presidential series, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president 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 legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. 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 very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him 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 at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. 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 shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law