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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored 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 incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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