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Throughout history, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who rose from poverty to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, 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 seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would function as a political representative for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. 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 clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. 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 opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had superior economic background 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. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law