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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a television production titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. 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 selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats 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 cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, 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 logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. 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 problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law