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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, 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 truncated career. The book has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud 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 influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

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 influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. 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 selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited 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 educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law