Unveiling the Heartbreaking Truth Within the Streaming Giant's Latest Historical Drama

Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president discussed openly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” reflects one of his family members. “We learned about the story in books but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, featuring Michael Shannon as the president and his co-star as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and President Kennedy continue to fascinate 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 farmer. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing 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 just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a holy crusade against forced servitude and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was caring. He was a decent human being and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was chosen to the legislative branch, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“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 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was fundamentally fractured between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership 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 gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, 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 surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be elected president.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“His possible achievements 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 pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling insisted on authority over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his colleague left their positions 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 cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the patronage system. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a way to accomplishment: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had earned a important role. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, requiring to be made the foreign service officer — a post 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 the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and collapsed on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law