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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, 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.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, 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, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating 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 multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare 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 forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept 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 reckoned he had merited a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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