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For generations, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue 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 so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was innovative for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

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

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term 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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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