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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, including a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law