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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency 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 refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. 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 at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring 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 Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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