🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber 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 party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, 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 overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. 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 political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

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

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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