Exposing the Heartbreaking Truth Within Netflix's Latest Historical Drama

For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now led to a television production titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering 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 huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned 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 educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law