🔗 Share this article

For generations, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, 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, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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