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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a television production titled the historical drama, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the historical period only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a military promise.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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