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Throughout history, the family members of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. 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 beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had failed as a legal professional, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity 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 way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law