🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, 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 deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background 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. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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