🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This changed in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who shot 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 become a casualty to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his behavior 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 just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and advanced to the military position.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the Congress, where he would work as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his close associate John Sherman.

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

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“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 forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of customs official. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a historic triumph for the executive authority over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a history of occupational setbacks, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for importance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, demanding to be made the US consul in Paris — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an weapon from his jacket 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