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Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln 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 lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership 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 massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to 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 central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, bill collector, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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