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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy 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 land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control 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 presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned 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 position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law