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Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, 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 appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

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 entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

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

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law