🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” reflects one of his family members. “We studied the story in books but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now inspired a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series seeks to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was cut short after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by medical malpractice – an incident now mostly overlooked while the deaths 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 legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a agriculturalist. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and how he was and the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in the Midwest in 1831. His parent passed away when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and rose to the officer status.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the era. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Political Career and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a issue of rights and the realization of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this matter was extremely significant to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the political organization was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“His possible achievements and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling insisted on authority over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a psychologically troubled person who exemplified the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a drifter with a history of career disappointments, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He travelled to Washington and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law