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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights 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 topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual 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 thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered 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 significant win for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law