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Throughout history, the family members of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent 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 floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

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. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of occupational setbacks, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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