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Over many years, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law