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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, including an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was deeply divided 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 backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “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 unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for 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 central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator 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 “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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