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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

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

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, 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 unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about 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 limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had failed as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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