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Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. This work has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements 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 brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the problematic element of the patronage system. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a important role. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law