🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, including a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law