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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln 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 preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law