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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was fearless. He was innovative for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law