🔗 Share this article

Over many years, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his remarkable life but avoided talking about his violent end. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” reflects one of his modern descendants. “We read about the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now led to a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring Michael Shannon as the national leader and another skilled actor as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to highlight Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an event now mostly overlooked while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield worked on canal boats to generate income for an formal learning.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a righteous fight against slavery and progressed to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was incredibly brave. He was very progressive for the era. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Political Career and Shocking Selection

Garfield was persuaded by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was elected to the Congress, where he would serve as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of black suffrage, viewing it as a issue of rights and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The address he delivered on the floor of Congress will move you deeply. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was deeply divided between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “rival group”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a compromise. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the surprise nominee. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Short Presidency and Power Struggles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe unique to the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was forced into the role.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of port authority. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a public battle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the political organization and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being followed by a disturbed and delusional man who represented the negative aspect of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a background of professional failures, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had been unsuccessful as a attorney, financial agent, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his particular brand of madness was false belief. He always believed that divine selection for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the excitement of the political contest, he wrote and delivered an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He went to the capital and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a problem 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 alumni event. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an weapon from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and collapsed on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law