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For generations, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy 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 religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration 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 faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, 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 dispute became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law