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Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against human bondage and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was deeply divided between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a third term for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a wave of backers made Garfield the shocking choice. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. 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 rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a historic triumph for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield cried out: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law