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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln 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 dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, 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 rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

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 embodied the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. 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 way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a post 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 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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