Unveiling the Heartbreaking Story Behind Netflix's Death by Lightning

For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president spoke proudly about his impressive career 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 family members. “We read about the story in publications but, for various reasons, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the release of a historical book, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The book has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the presidential series, featuring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the wanderer who shot him.

The series seeks to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by doctor errors – an incident now mostly overlooked while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“You can't help but be proud what he did. He was incredibly versatile: he was a lawyer, 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 the complete story about him the descendants preserve with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the Presidency

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in hard times. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to generate income for an schooling.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a state senator. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, 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 progressed to the military position.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the period. He was kind. He was a decent human being and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was selected to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a political representative for nearly two decades. He was ardent advocate of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a middle ground. Garfield's impassioned speech supporting Sherman impressed them. 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, 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.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“His possible achievements and what is very unusual and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over government appointments in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the improvement efforts over “machine politics”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being followed by a psychologically troubled person who embodied the dark side of the patronage system. The gunman was a wanderer with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, bill collector, minister and member of a unconventional group.

“He was emotionally unstable and his specific type of insanity was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. 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 drama of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an insignificant speech, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau determined he had merited a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, demanding to be made the foreign service officer — a post for which he had no experience. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his educational gathering. As he moved through the transportation center, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, withdrew an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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