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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a television production titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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