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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, 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 everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

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

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. 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 confrontation became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. 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. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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