Revealing the Heartbreaking Story Within Netflix's Latest Historical Drama

For generations, the family members of James Garfield spoke proudly about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just skimmed through it.”

Renewed Attention in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now resulted in a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, featuring a talented performer as the national leader and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the economic era only to become a casualty to its deep political rifts. His time in office was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his approach and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to raise five children in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield found employment on vessels to generate income for an formal learning.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was remarkably smart. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to depart military life when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a political representative for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

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

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a supporter of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is very unusual and maybe special for 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 defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the faction system and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a history of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, religious figure and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for importance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the drama of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a important role. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “My God, what is this?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law