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Throughout history, the heirs of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an incident now largely forgotten 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 attorney, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

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 mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a compromise. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle 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 prestigious role of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

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