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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. 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 unexpected candidate. 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 defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare 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 defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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