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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire 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 the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena 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 party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating 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 rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual 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 forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role 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 presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law