🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the descendants of President Garfield shared stories about his remarkable life but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a train station,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Renewed Attention in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. The publication has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, including Michael Shannon as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who rose from poverty to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its deep political rifts. His presidency was cut short after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an event now largely forgotten while the deaths of the Civil War president and President 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 all of these things which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a moral battle against slavery and advanced to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a decent human being and would have been an outstanding leader had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was strong supporter of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for former president, 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, representatives began searching for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address supporting Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, 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 surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, another politician, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Brief Administration and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his confrontation with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the political organization and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the negative aspect of the patronage system. The assassin was a unstable individual with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and childhood trauma. He had not succeeded as a attorney, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that divine selection for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a prestigious position. He went to the capital and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other authorities, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Medical Malpractice

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his alumni event. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau appeared suddenly, withdrew an handgun from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law