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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. 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 stampede of delegates 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 presidential race Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon 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 defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding 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 Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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