🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the heirs of the 20th US president discussed openly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his modern descendants. “We learned about the story in historical accounts but, in one way or another, we just passed over it quickly.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The publication has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to intrigue the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and how he was and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was caring. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a Republican for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman won them over. 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 stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a legal professional, financial agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. 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 eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the 1880 election, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had merited a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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