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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, 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 a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

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

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle 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 prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law