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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham 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 minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished 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 education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, 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 Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law