Revealing the Heartbreaking Reality Within the Streaming Giant's Latest Historical Drama

For generations, the heirs of the 20th US president shared stories about his remarkable life but rarely mentioned his untimely death. We understood what had happened, that he was gunned down in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

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 Netflix drama titled Death by Lightning, featuring an acclaimed actor as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the Gilded Age only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was ended prematurely after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by doctor errors – an incident now largely forgotten while the deaths of Abraham Lincoln and President 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 minister, he was a farmer. He was multiple professions which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

From Humble Beginnings to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in the Midwest in 1831. His dad perished when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He studied law, was became a preacher, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he married a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the national conflict as a moral battle against forced servitude and advanced to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the time. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Government Service and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the Congress, where he would work as a party member for nearly two decades. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the completion of a wartime covenant.

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

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the political organization was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency 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 deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “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 stampede of delegates made Garfield the shocking choice. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the sole representative of the House ever to be chosen as leader.

Short Presidency and Government Conflicts

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is remarkably uncommon 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 short presidency was his disagreement with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of customs official. Garfield declined, 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 visible struggle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his associate resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “machine politics”.

The Assassin and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who exemplified the dark side of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a record of career disappointments, mental instability and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, financial agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was delusion. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a way to accomplishment: politics. Carried away in the drama of the 1880 election, he prepared and gave an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was solely accountable for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a position for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually banned 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 walked through the train depot, Guiteau appeared suddenly, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his clothing and shot the president twice in the back.

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