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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now led to a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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