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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now led to a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. 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 seeking a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness 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 thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law