🔗 Share this article

Throughout history, the family members of President Garfield shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. “We knew what had happened, that he was gunned down in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We learned about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This changed in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which revived interest in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the wanderer who assassinated him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was cut short after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the killings of President Lincoln and President Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the last president coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an education.

He learned legal principles, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against slavery and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would function as a Republican for 17 years. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will affect you emotionally. He was an impressive communicator and this matter was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Brief Administration and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe unique to the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's short presidency was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. The gunman was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for greatness. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield achieved and rose, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a pathway to success: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the presidential race, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a prestigious position. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring 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 Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his college reunion. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his clothing and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield cried out: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law