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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

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

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness 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 entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. 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 political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

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

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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