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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. 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 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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