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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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