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For generations, the family members of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an incident now frequently ignored while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

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 raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, 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 government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he survived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a wartime covenant.

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

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, 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 unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“His possible achievements 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 never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control 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 “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a history of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance 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 college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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