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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen 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 question of fairness and the realization of a military promise.

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

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to 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 brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator 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 faction system and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The assassin was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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