🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now mostly overlooked while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important 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 former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech 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 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. 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 nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

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 appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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