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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions 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 Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee 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 Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee 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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law