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Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings 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 very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money 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 wed a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would function as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. 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 searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law