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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

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 support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels 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 political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. 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 “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

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. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events 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 reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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