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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled the presidential series, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease 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 sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“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 thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash 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 “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law