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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against human bondage and rose to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the national vote Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the change movement 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 mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a drifter with a record of professional failures, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a important role. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew 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 fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law