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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, starring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK 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 preacher, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would work as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate 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 supporting 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 multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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