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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income 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 entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare 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 thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, 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 prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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