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Over many years, the family members of the 20th US president shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a transportation hub,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to captivate 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 agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also shaped who he was and his behavior and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and rose to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a backer of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to 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 central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield refused, 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 rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was approved. It was a significant win for the presidential control over the party machine and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the political contest, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had earned a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he moved through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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