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Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the historical period only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was cut short after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and how he was and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, 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 moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great 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 thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority 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 presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, 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 reckoned he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Assassination and Medical Malpractice

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed 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 shouted: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law