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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but rarely mentioned his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in 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 promises to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the historical period only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was truncated after only 200 days not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President 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 legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an schooling.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he survived.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for multiple terms. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he didn't want the job. 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 confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position 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 presidential authority”. He proposed a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a lawyer, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law