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Throughout history, the family members of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the time. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a history of occupational setbacks, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for significance. 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 eventually located a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law