🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots 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 became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, 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, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to 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 central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments 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 presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law