🔗 Share this article

For generations, the descendants of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a train station,” notes one of his family members. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This shifted in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring an acclaimed actor as the president and another skilled actor as the unstable individual who assassinated him.

The series aims to illuminate Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the presidency during the historical period only to fall victim to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an tragedy now largely forgotten while the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a legal professional, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and all the information about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief raised in rustic conditions in Ohio in 1831. His father died when he was just a toddler, leaving his parent, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to make funds for an formal learning.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became head of a school in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he entered matrimony with a former classmate, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have a large family. An dedicated federalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle as a moral battle against human bondage and progressed to the officer status.

“During my investigation, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the period. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been one of our great presidents had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was persuaded by President Lincoln to leave army service when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would serve as a party member for multiple terms. He was strong supporter of racial equality in elections, viewing it as a question of fairness and the realization of a wartime covenant.

“The address he delivered on the legislative arena will tear your heart out. He was an incredibly powerful orator and this topic was extremely significant to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by an influential figure, who supported a additional presidency for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was gridlocked between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's powerful oration supporting Sherman impressed them. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, representatives, what do we want?” to which a audience member unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To placate the Stalwart faction, the vice presidential pick, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his vice president. In the general election Garfield defeated the rival politician to become the sole representative of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Power Struggles

“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 never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The major battle of Garfield's limited administration was his confrontation with Conkling over the “patronage network”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the prestigious role of port authority. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He selected a rival of Conkling to the post.

The conflict turned into a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's candidate was approved. It was a significant win for the power of the presidency over the party machine and for the change movement over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield confronted influential people of his party, he was being pursued by a mentally unstable individual who represented the dark side of the political appointment process. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of professional failures, psychological problems and early life difficulties. He had failed as a legal professional, debt recovery agent, religious figure and member of a free-love commune.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that religious calling for significance. He actually had superior economic background than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a route to achievement: politics. Caught up in the drama of the presidential race, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became certain in his thoughts that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, 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 diplomatic representative — a role for which he had no experience. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Assassination and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, withdrew an weapon from his coat pocket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and fell on the station floor. When a {police officer|law