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For generations, the heirs of James Garfield discussed openly about his impressive career but avoided talking about his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in publications but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, including an acclaimed actor as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the drifter who shot him.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate 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 agriculturalist. He was so many things which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mother, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have seven children. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would function as a political representative for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, 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 unexpected candidate. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the national vote Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual 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 major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a wanderer with a history of professional failures, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. 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 finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

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