Revealing the Devastating Truth Within the Streaming Giant's Death by Lightning

Over many years, the descendants of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a streaming series titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and his co-star as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the highest office during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only 200 days not only by the killer's weapon but by physician mistakes – an tragedy now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also shaped who he was and his approach and all the information about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mother, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an formal learning.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the era. He was compassionate. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to resign his military commission 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 racial equality in elections, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered 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 party was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To appease the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the change movement over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who embodied the problematic element of the spoils network. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had been unsuccessful as a legal professional, financial agent, minister and member of a alternative community.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau failed at everything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the US consul in Paris — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On the tragic date, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the transportation center, Guiteau emerged from hiding, pulled an handgun from his jacket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and collapsed on the station floor. When a {police officer|law