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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, 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 surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. 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 “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. 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 nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law