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For generations, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who shot him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, 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 decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law