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For generations, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths 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 legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

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

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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