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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a television production titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, 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 shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle 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 prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background 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 particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

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

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding 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 Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law