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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, including a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate 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 farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

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

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, 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 persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law