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For generations, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire 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 shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual 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 forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle 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 candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

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 insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem 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 college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law