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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed 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 television production titled the historical drama, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality 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 final national leader born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away 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 generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was innovative for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena 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 faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law