🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the historical period only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now frequently ignored while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was innovative for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe particular about 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 clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats 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 change movement over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. The assassin was a drifter with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the excitement of the political contest, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an weapon from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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