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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now largely forgotten while the killings of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also formed his character and how he was and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was strong supporter of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual 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 forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had failed as a lawyer, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

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

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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