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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “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 wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. 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 nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “political control”.

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 exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law