Exposing the Tragic Story Behind Netflix's Death by Lightning

Throughout history, the descendants of the 20th US president shared stories about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. “We knew what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” explains one of his family members. “We learned about the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Forgotten President

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a historical book, which generated attention in Garfield's truncated career. The book has now led to a streaming series titled the historical drama, featuring a talented performer as the president and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the historical period only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His time in office was truncated after only 200 days not only by the gunman's shot but by doctor errors – an incident now frequently ignored while the deaths of President Lincoln and JFK continue to intrigue the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a preacher, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and all the information about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mom, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in challenging conditions. An voracious learner, Garfield labored on waterways to earn money for an schooling.

He learned legal principles, was entered the clergy, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against forced servitude and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I was astonished. He was exceptionally intelligent. He was extremely courageous. 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 remained alive.”

Government Service and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to resign his military commission when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a question of fairness and the fulfillment of a wartime covenant.

“The speech he gave on the floor of Congress will tear your heart out. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the party was deeply divided between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “rival group”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his close associate John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, party members began searching for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech nominating Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “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 unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the general election Garfield overcame the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness 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 pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling required power over federal patronage in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the executive of the United States”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute turned into a visible struggle but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a public failure, Conkling and his colleague resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was approved. It was a landmark victory for the presidential control over the faction system and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Gunman and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who exemplified the dark side of the political appointment process. The gunman was a unstable individual with a record of occupational setbacks, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his particular brand of madness was delusion. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the presidential race, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became certain in his thoughts that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau determined he had deserved a prestigious position. He travelled to Washington and constantly harassed Garfield, Blaine and other officials, demanding to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a problem that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Assassination and Physician Mistakes

On 2 July 1881, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his alumni event. As he walked through the train depot, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his jacket and assassinated the leader in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law