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Over many years, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

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 educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy 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 rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements 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 completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law