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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud 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 approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing 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 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

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

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. 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 dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law