🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a television production titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight 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 assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a Republican for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power 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 conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance 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 leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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