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Over many years, the family members of James Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His parent passed away when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield found employment on vessels to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against slavery and progressed to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a solution. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman won them over. 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 extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law