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Over many years, the family members of President Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. “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 publications but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also formed his character and how he was and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

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

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, 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 surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash 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 “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 confrontation escalated into a public battle 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 confirmed. 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 Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the problematic element of the political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

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