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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue 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 minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

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

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for 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 brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — 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 Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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