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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, 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 supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual 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 major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law