Death by Lightning true story: How accurate is the Netflix historical series?

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**Warning – contains spoilers for Death by Lightning.**

The four-episode historical series, Death by Lightning, is now streaming on Netflix. It recounts an incredible true story that seems almost unbelievable.

The show features Michael Shannon as President James Garfield, and Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Guiteau, the unstable man who assassinated him.

Okay, so this guy Guiteau was seriously off his rocker. He was convinced he’d played a huge part in getting James Garfield elected president, but when he didn’t get any recognition – no job, no thank you, nothing – he just snapped. It’s insane, but he actually shot Garfield because he felt slighted. Talk about a bad reaction to not getting a pat on the back!

Although Garfield survived the shooting, he died two months afterward from an infection. Unfortunately, the infection was caused by a lack of cleanliness during his medical treatment. He served as president for just 199 days.

How closely does the Netflix series ‘Death by Lightning’ stick to the actual historical events? Here’s everything you need to know about the real story that inspired the show.

What is Death by Lightning about?

As a total cinema lover, I’m really intrigued by the new series, ‘Death by Lightning’. It’s a dramatic retelling of the unbelievable true story of James Garfield, who became president almost by accident, and Charles Guiteau, his biggest fan… who ultimately ended up assassinating him. Seriously, it sounds stranger than fiction!

Mike Makowsky created the series, which he believes continues to resonate with modern audiences despite being set in the 1800s. He told Tudum that the show’s focus on political and bureaucratic corruption feels especially timely and relevant now.

James A. Garfield was a strong advocate for cleaning up corruption in government and reforming the civil service system during his presidency.

In 1881, America was at a turning point, trying to decide what its future would be. Leaders like Garfield had the opportunity to shape the country and define what kind of society it would become, a century after its founding.

Is Death by Lightning based on a book?

The series Death by Lightning is inspired by Candice Millard’s 2012 non-fiction book, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President. It draws its story from the historical events detailed in that book.

Showrunner Makowsky shared with Tudum that he was immediately captivated by Millard’s book, reading it all in one go because he found the true story unbelievably wild.

I was deeply moved by it – it was tragic, but also strangely funny in a really dark way. I’m often drawn to work with that kind of tone, and this piece had a pervasive, almost shocking absurdity that really struck me.

I immediately knew, after finishing the book, that it would make a great adaptation – one that could connect with audiences in a unique way compared to other historical dramas.

How closely does Death by Lightning follow the real history?

The movie Death by Lightning stays fairly true to the actual events it portrays. Like any historical film—especially one based on things that happened a long time ago—some details have been fictionalized for dramatic effect.

The story is based on real people and events, but some details – like the exact conversations, specific scenes, and how characters interacted – were imagined to create a complete narrative.

Did James Garfield really not want to be President?

Although we can’t be sure what Garfield was thinking, he definitely began the 1880 Republican primary campaign pledged to support John Sherman as the nominee.

The Republican Party was divided during this period into two opposing groups. The Half-Breeds supported changes to the civil service system, while the Stalwarts opposed those changes.

When voting started, people began supporting Garfield because they saw him as the only one who could resolve the conflict and bring different sides together.

Garfield said he didn’t want to be nominated, but people kept voting for him anyway. Initially, votes went to Sherman and James Blaine, but they eventually started supporting Garfield instead.

Despite their continued unhappiness with James Garfield, the Stalwart faction selected one of their own – a strong supporter of Roscoe Conkling – as their vice presidential candidate. That candidate was Chester A. Arthur, who later became the 21st U.S. president following Garfield’s assassination.

Did Charles Guiteau really sing a poem as he was hanged?

After shooting President Garfield, Guiteau’s mental state deteriorated while he was in jail, ultimately leading to his execution by hanging.

In a truly shocking moment, Guiteau sings a poem titled “I Am Going to the Lordy” to the onlookers before he is executed.

It sounds unbelievable, but it’s completely true. Guiteau actually recited a poem he’d written just that morning.

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2025-11-06 11:35