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Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release 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 Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd 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 faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background 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 excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring 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 Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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