Revealing the Tragic Truth Behind Netflix's Death by Lightning

Throughout history, the descendants of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but seldom discussed his untimely death. We were aware what had happened, that he was shot in a railway depot,” notes one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just glanced over it.”

Revived Interest in a Overlooked Leader

This transformed in 2011 with the issuing of Destiny of the Republic, which sparked curiosity in Garfield's unfinished life. The book has now resulted in a streaming series titled the historical drama, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and another skilled actor as the wanderer who shot him.

The series aims to shine a light on Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the presidency during the Gilded Age only to fall victim to its bitter partisan conflicts. His presidency was ended prematurely after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the deaths of the Civil War president and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a lawyer, he was a religious leader, he was a land worker. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and how he was and everything that we know about him the descendants preserve with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the Highest Office

Garfield was the final national leader coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His dad perished when he was just a toddler, leaving his mother, Eliza, to care for multiple kids in difficult circumstances. An insatiable reader, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a educational contemporary, Lucretia Rudolph, with whom he would have multiple offspring. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the internal struggle 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 remarkably smart. He was fearless. He was ahead of his time for the period. He was kind. He was a good person and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he survived.”

Public Life and Surprise Candidacy

Garfield was convinced by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would serve as a political representative for multiple terms. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“The address he delivered on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this topic was very important to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the faction was fundamentally fractured between the “faction members”, led by a powerful politician, who supported a continued leadership for former president, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a backer of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began seeking a solution. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a wave of backers made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a faction member from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the presidential race Garfield beat the opposing candidate to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Brief Administration and Government Conflicts

“What would have made Garfield great and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he hadn't campaigned aggressively. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's brief term was his clash with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the influential position of port authority. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He proposed a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The dispute escalated into a public battle but Garfield defeated Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his associate left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the political organization and for the change movement over “boss rule”.

The Assassin and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being stalked by a mentally unstable individual who represented the negative aspect of the spoils network. The assassin was a drifter with a background of occupational setbacks, emotional issues and early life difficulties. He had not succeeded as a lawyer, financial agent, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his unique form of delusion was false belief. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. 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. Swept up in the excitement of the 1880 election, he created and presented an unimportant address, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this reasoning, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. 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 inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just several weeks into his presidency, Garfield was traveling from DC for his educational gathering. As he passed through the train depot, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an ivory-handled British Bull Dog revolver from his jacket and fired multiple rounds in the back.

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