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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. 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 compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law