The new Netflix series Death by Lightning tells the incredible true story of President James Garfield’s assassination, a historical event where the man who pulled the trigger wasn’t the only one responsible. The show reveals how a delusional office seeker, Charles Guiteau, shot the president, but his doctors’ outdated medical practices ultimately caused Garfield’s death months later.
How President Garfield Died
President James Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881, at a Washington, D.C. train station by Charles Guiteau. He survived the initial shooting but died 80 days later on September 19, 1881. The two bullets from Guiteau’s gun did not immediately kill him.
The series shows that Garfield’s treatment was a major failure. His lead doctor, Dr. Bliss, repeatedly probed the president’s wound with unsterilized fingers and instruments. He ignored warnings about antiseptic methods from another doctor, Dr. Charles Purvis, the first Black physician to treat a sitting president. This led to a severe infection and sepsis, which ultimately killed Garfield.
“Guiteau may have fired the bullet, but heโs not Garfieldโs ultimate murderer,” said series creator Mike Makowsky.
An autopsy later found that the bullet was lodged near Garfield’s liver, not his spine, and had missed all vital organs. Many historians believe that if the bullet had been left alone, or if modern antiseptic practices had been used, Garfield would have survived.
Why Charles Guiteau Pulled the Trigger
Charles Guiteau was a failed lawyer and drifter who developed a dangerous obsession with President Garfield. He had delivered a single speech and handed out pamphlets during Garfield’s campaign. This led him to believe, delusionally, that he was personally responsible for Garfield’s victory.
Guiteau felt he was owed a reward for his “work,” specifically a prestigious consulship in Paris or Vienna. He repeatedly pestered the White House and Secretary of State James Blaine for a job. Blaine finally told him, “Never bother me again about the Paris consulship so long as you live.”
After this rejection, Guiteau’s obsession turned to rage. He became convinced that God wanted him to remove Garfield to “save the Republic.” He believed that with Garfield gone, Vice President Chester Arthur would become president and finally give him the job he deserved.
He bought a pearl-handled .44 British Bulldog pistol because he thought it would look good in a museum. For weeks, he stalked the president, who had no security detail, before shooting him at the train station. After the shooting, Guiteau reportedly exclaimed, “I did it! Take me to jail! Now Chester Arthur will be President! The Republic is saved!”
What Happened to Charles Guiteau
Guiteau was immediately arrested after the shooting. His trial was a spectacle where he acted as his own lawyer, recited poetry, and proposed to a female spectator. He was found guilty of murder and was executed by hanging on June 30, 1882. On the gallows, he recited a poem he had written called “I Am Going to the Lordy.”
The series includes a powerful fictional scene where Garfield’s wife, Lucretia Garfield, visits Guiteau in his prison cell. She tells him that his name and legacy will be forgotten, which was the worst possible news for a man desperate for fame.
Following his execution, Guiteau’s brain was removed and preserved for study by the U.S. Army Medical Museum, as scientists tried to understand the source of his madness.
The Aftermath and a Changed Presidency
Vice President Chester A. Arthur, a product of the corrupt “spoils system” of political patronage, was sworn in as the 21st president after Garfield’s death. Ironically, the assassination and the public outrage over the spoils systemโwhich had created office seekers like Guiteauโpushed President Arthur to change his ways.
“I feel like the woman that reached him with her letters sort of represented his conscience,” said actor Nick Offerman, who plays Arthur.
To the surprise of his former political allies, President Arthur signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883. This law began the process of moving the U.S. government toward a merit-based system for hiring government employees, significantly reforming the very system that Guiteau had tried to exploit.
Garfield’s wife, Lucretia, lived for 37 more years after his death. The series ends with a poignant scene of her sitting at the wooden table her husband built, a symbol of the life and future that was taken from them.
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