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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

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

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena 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 political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness 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 entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. 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 rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a history of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. 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 pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced 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