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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, including a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, 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 unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to 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 central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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