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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age 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 physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

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 nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. 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 was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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