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Throughout history, the family members of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only half a year not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income 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 seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and advanced to the military position.

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

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

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

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a background of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the presidential race, he created and presented an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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