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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, 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 family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. 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 voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness 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 forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that divine selection 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 pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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