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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. 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 supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, 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, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law