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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, including a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, 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 ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight 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 incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, 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 shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position 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 rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the problematic element of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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