🔗 Share this article

For generations, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the economic era only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was very important to him.”

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

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address 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 extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The assassin was a unstable individual with a history of professional failures, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness 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 route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law