🔗 Share this article

For generations, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an incident now largely forgotten while the assassinations of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in Ohio in 1831. His dad perished when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family 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 leader of an institution in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the military position.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was incredibly brave. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will affect you emotionally. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “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 rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling insisted on authority over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role 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 opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the political organization and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of professional failures, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law