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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and his co-star as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate 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 formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “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 rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great 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 entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law