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Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual 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 thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. 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 turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. 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 eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law