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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now led to a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing 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 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about 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 central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law