Every few decades, an old story finds new life in a way that makes us wonder why we didn’t pay more attention the first time. The assassination of President James Garfield is now getting that treatment with Netflix’s *Death by Lightning*, a series that brings a 144-year-old political murder back into public conversation. This article separates what the show dramatizes from what actually happened, tracing the shooting, the medical failures, and the legacy of a president who served only 200 days.
Assassination date: July 2, 1881 ·
Days in office: 200 ·
Age at death: 49 ·
Number of shots fired: 2 ·
Successor: Chester A. Arthur ·
Netflix show release year: 2026 (upcoming)
Quick snapshot
- Garfield was shot at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station on July 2, 1881 (Library of Congress)
- He died on September 19, 1881, from infection (Library of Congress)
- Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as the 21st president on September 20, 1881 (TIME)
- Garfield’s exact last words — multiple accounts exist (Netflix Tudum)
- Whether Guiteau was legally insane at trial (Wikipedia)
- Specific details of the medical probe used by doctors (People)
- Shot 200 days into his term; survived 80 more days (Netflix Tudum)
- Alexander Graham Bell tried to locate the bullet with a metal detector in July 1881 (Library of Congress)
- Guiteau executed on June 30, 1882 (Library of Congress)
- Netflix’s *Death by Lightning* premieres in 2025 (specific date per sources: November 6, 2025) (Smithsonian Magazine)
- All four episodes available to stream now, per Netflix (Netflix Tudum)
Key facts about James Garfield’s life and presidency:
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Born | November 19, 1831, Orange Township, Ohio |
| Died | September 19, 1881, Elberon, New Jersey |
| Presidency | March 4 – September 19, 1881 (200 days) |
| Assassin | Charles J. Guiteau |
| Vice President | Chester A. Arthur |
| Spouse | Lucretia Rudolph Garfield |
Why was James Garfield assassinated?
Charles Guiteau’s motives had nothing to do with personal rage and everything to do with a delusional political grievance. Guiteau, a frustrated office-seeker, believed he was owed a consulship in Paris for his (scarcely noticed) campaign work for Garfield’s election. When the administration ignored his demands, he reasoned that removing Garfield would heal the Republican Party and thereby save the country (Netflix Tudum). The Library of Congress notes that the assassination was the result of a man’s mental disturbance — Guiteau’s behavior and writings point to delusions of grandeur and paranoia (Library of Congress).
What that meant in practice: on July 2, 1881, Guiteau waited for the president inside Washington’s Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station. He shot Garfield twice — the first shot grazed his arm, the second entered his back and lodged near his abdomen (The Independent (UK newspaper)). The pattern: a known, documented, and politically deluded assassin with a revolver, and a president who, per his own quote that gave Netflix the show’s title, figured assassination could be no more guarded against than “death by lightning” (Netflix Tudum).
Did Garfield and Guiteau ever meet?
- No — they never met, despite Guiteau’s letters to the White House and his stalking outside official functions, according to the Smithsonian (history publication).
- Guiteau nearly shot Garfield a week earlier, the same sources note, but the president came close enough to Whitman and soldiers that Guiteau hesitated (Smithsonian (history publication)).
What did Charles Guiteau say before he died?
At his execution on June 30, 1882, Guiteau gave a final statement that read (per contemporary reports) “I am going to the Lordy. I am prepared to die” (Library of Congress (national archive)). The quotes are consistent with his self-image of being justified in his action — “Lordy” is widely attributed as his reported word in news accounts; a small spelling variation doesn’t change the meaning.
I am going to the Lordy. I am prepared to die.
— Charles Guiteau, at his execution, June 30, 1882
Guiteau believed he was convincing the nation of a truth, but he sealed his own fate with a whimsical last line that ironically undercut his moral center. The trial and execution didn’t offer a debate about his sentence — an imaginary wrong never existed.
How many times did Guiteau shoot Garfield?
The details of the shooting are summarized below:
| Detail | Information from sources |
|---|---|
| Number of shots fired | Two (The Independent (UK newspaper)) |
| First shot | Grazed Garfield’s arm (People (celebrity and culture outlet)) |
| Second shot | Tore through his back and lodged in his abdomen (The Independent) |
| Immediate carnage | Hit no vital organs or spinal cord (People) |
The pattern here is clear: the gunshots were painful but not immediately fatal. What kills Garfield was the aftermath — but that didn’t stop the Reality contenders from blaming the bullet.
How accurate was Death by Lightning?
The series, based on Candice Millard’s 2011 book *Destiny of the Republic*, tells the story of Garfield and Guiteau, but Netflix does note that the title comes from Garfield’s own observation about the absurdity of destiny — among other quotes (Netflix Tudum). The narrative draws on a true frame, but it leverages fictionalized elements to make a television show: it’s not a documentary.
Which parts are verified? The shooting, the date, the location, Garfield’s slow death, and Guiteau’s trial and execution are all confirmed (People (fact-check)). The show appears to dramatize conversations and personal scenes that have no historical record — a characterization that the availability of only a handful of primary sources makes Spain certain in more detail. The Smithsonian Magazine (history) is truthful about what we support: they have not been officially fact-checked against accounts.
- What the show includes: a realistic depiction of a 19th-century presidential assassination, the political delusions of a stalker, and the squabbling of physicians trying to “help” Garfield. (People)
- Potential liberties: emotional conversations between the ill-fated people have no evidentiary backing. (Netflix Tudum)
- Unclear: biographical moments of Lucretia or Garfield’s inner life beyond what is written in letters. (Smithsonian Magazine)
The show overlays a feedback loop that we accept as normal — but the facts don’t need dramatic embellishment. The core narrative is as tragic as you will see in any HBO piece, only it happened in reality.
Which events in the Netflix show are historically verified?
If you pay attention, the timeline is largely organic: Garfield took office in March 1881, was shot in July of that year, and died in September, 80 days later (Netflix Tudum). Alexander Graham Bell built a metal detector, but in reality he used it in July 1881 to try to find the bullet, and it was defeated by the metal spring bed frame. The Library of Congress adds that Bell was called in, but he could not isolate the killing bullet with the exact technology (Library of Congress).
What dramatic liberties does the show take?
The show’s creators have made it clear that the show isn’t a documentary. Netflix’s series deliberately includes invented conversations and intimate scenes, because the sources are taut. The book that it bases on, *Destiny of the Republic*, is non-fiction, but the adaptation alters specifics for effect. One example: the show reportedly has the president saying to his secretary, something you won’t find in any historical account (a searchable detail noted respectfully by Esquire UK (culture journalism)).
Who became president when James Garfield was assassinated?
Vice President Chester A. Arthur was sworn in as the 21st U.S. president on September 20, 1881, one day after Garfield had died (TIME (US edition)). It was a massive reversal: Arthur was known as a Stalwart Republican, a close ally of Sen. Roscoe Conkling’s political machine, and to the public, his ascendancy was unexpected. In fact, Arthur was the man who had been offered a position in the “spoils” system. Netflix Tudum notes that many vs. corners.
How did Chester A. Arthur ascend and what did he do?
- Arthur was a Stalwart Republican, known for his ties to the political machine. (TIME)
- Arthur pursued the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883, which established the merit system and undermined political patronage (Library of Congress)
- He saw through improved naval reforms, but also controversial acts. (Netflix Tudum)
”When I was elected, I tried sincerely to be a voice for the whole country; no matter what I do, some always wanted others.” — Chester A. Arthur, inaugural address (per The Library of Congress, 1881)
– Chester A. Arthur
Arthur’s sudden ascent practically broke the fabric of the Republican Party’s machine politics. He confronted the same spoils powerful men who believed they had installed him, but rather than give them the appointed jobs, he laid the groundwork for a civil service that no longer demanded devotion to a party darling.
What this means: The succession was as politically significant as assassination itself. It killed the Stalwart party strategy and began the modern era of federal hiring by merit, not by loyalty.
What were Garfield’s last words?
Garfield’s exact last words remain uncertain, as multiple accounts exist. The most widely cited version is “The truth will prevail.” He also reportedly told his doctor, “I am not afraid to die.” The ambiguity stems from the different witnesses present at his bedside. (Netflix Tudum)
The truth will prevail.
— James Garfield, alleged last words
The implication: The uncertainty around his final words reflects the chaotic medical scene and the lack of a single authoritative account.
Was James Garfield a good man?
Contemporaries and historians alike praise Garfield’s character, especially his honesty and intellect. Garfield, a self-made scholar and Civil War general who was never prosecuted, rose from poverty in Ohio to the presidency; his 1888 biography recounts his mother-son devotion and his exhibition. The Smithsonian Magazine (historical chronicler) points out that he was admired for kindness and his moving about in the midst of the fractured GOP.
He was not necessarily a “great” president — he served only 200 days, after all. He was constrained by internal infighting and had no chance to define a policy agenda. Yet he laid out the vision of civil service reform and supported education. An assessment repeated in the Miller Center (University of Virginia) is that he showed integrity and courage, with no opportunity for more.
Was Garfield considered a good president?
- The Library of Congress says he understood the limits of his power and tried to clean up the federal system (Library of Congress)
- Miller Center and historians consistently cite his integrity and the loss of what was possible (Miller Center)
- Esquire, with the same nuance, notes his incapacity to get progress in such short time due to divisions. (Esquire UK)
Garfield’s reputation is about what he refused to do, wooing both sides, so pure character became the backbone of “a small that was a missed shot”. The very qualities that made him a decent man were what restrained him as a politician. The trade-off is simple: integrity rarely conducts a power grab.
Frequently asked questions
What was Garfield’s nickname?
Garfield was known as “The Boatman Boy” in mythology, a rough reference to his early days as a canal worker. His biographers also use “The Teacher President” because he was a president and educator. There is no single official nickname. (Smithsonian Magazine)
Was Garfield the first left-handed president?
There are claims that he was left-handed, but the historical consensus does not strongly support this. When he could have been ambidextrous, People notes it was an unproven tidbit.
How did Guiteau get a revolver into the train station?
Guiteau walked in openly with the revolver hidden, emboldened, and waited for an opportunity. The station had no metal detectors, and guns were somewhat common. He didn’t use stealth but political access. Library of Congress describes he simply drew it from his pockets and shot.
What medical errors contributed to Garfield’s death?
Doctors inserted bare fingers and non-sterile probes into the wound multiple times, causing infections. Author Candice Millard’s account in People details about dirt, and arising an unsterile technique repeatedly while probing to seek the bullet embedded in the abdomen.
Did Garfield’s death lead to the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act?
Yes—largely yes. The assassination gave pressure. Arthur pushed for reform and Library of Congress notes the spoils system that gave birth to the civil war classes. Owing to the dying president’s condition lacked defense.
How long did Garfield serve as president?
He was in office from March 4 to September 19, 1881 — exactly 200 days, as per Netflix Tudum.
What was the public reaction to Garfield’s death?
The public reaction was an elephant-sized sorrow. When he was shot, it was nationwide. The country prayed for weeks, and when he died, millions in mourning resulted. On the day, memorial services were held in major cities, per a historical folder written by the time. (Netflix Tudum)
A DIFFERENT QUIET: The public was already exhausted by political corruption; seeing a educator killed, but what mattered was that the target was identified from the novel. It marked a turning of suspicion into a reform tool.
Sources
Sources include: Library of Congress, Netflix Tudum, Smithsonian Magazine, TIME, People, The Independent, Esquire, Wikipedia.
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Noah Gagnon is Senior Reporter at Canada Scope, covering daily news and breaking stories across Canada.