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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. 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.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle 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 influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats 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 improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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