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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked 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 lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control 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 proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, 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 faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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