Revealing the Heartbreaking Truth Behind Netflix's Latest Historical Drama

Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a streaming series titled the presidential series, including Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. 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 multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements 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 entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The assassin was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance 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 walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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