Who Was the Real Chester Arthur – and His Relationship with James Garfield?
When US President James Garfield was assassinated in 1881, his vice president, Chester A. Arthur, unexpectedly rose to the presidency amid deep public skepticism. Once regarded as a party insider and symbol of political corruption, Arthur astonished the nation by proving more capable and principled than anticipated.
At the time of Garfield’s shooting in July 1881, few Americans believed Arthur could handle the crisis that followed. Known mainly as a New York Republican operative connected to patronage networks and machine politics, he inspired little confidence. Yet after Garfield succumbed to his wounds later that year, Arthur assumed the role of the 21st President of the United States and worked to restore trust in the office.
Arthur’s Legacy in Modern Portrayal
Arthur’s story reemerges in Netflix’s 2025 drama Death by Lightning, which explores Garfield’s assassination and its political consequences. The series stars Michael Shannon as Garfield and Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Guiteau, the disillusioned man who shot him.
In Death by Lightning, Chester Arthur, portrayed by Nick Offerman, is depicted as a reluctant political insider forced into responsibility — a hardened party enforcer suddenly placed in the highest office.
Author’s Summary
Chester A. Arthur transformed from a distrusted political operative into a surprising reformer whose reluctant presidency reshaped his reputation and America’s expectations of leadership.