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Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the deaths of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of career disappointments, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had earned a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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