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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy 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 preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the era. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

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

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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