Exposing the Heartbreaking Truth Behind Netflix's Latest Historical Drama

For generations, the family members of the 20th US president discussed openly about his impressive career but seldom discussed his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was shot in a transportation hub,” notes one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, in one way or another, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now led to a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, including a talented performer as the national leader and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who shot him.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a legal professional, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and how he was and all the information 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 father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was became a preacher, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a holy crusade against forced servitude and rose to the military position.

“During my investigation, I couldn't believe it. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by Lincoln to resign his military commission when he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a third term for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the 15,000-person convention was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began seeking a solution. Garfield's powerful oration nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield beat the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Facing a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was ratified. It was a significant win for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

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 political appointment process. The assassin was a drifter with a record of professional failures, mental instability and childhood trauma. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, bill collector, preacher and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Swept up in the events of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a important role. He travelled to Washington and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had no experience. He became such a problem that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just a short time 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, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

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