President James A. Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States from March 4, 1881, until his assassination later that year. Before his presidency, he was a prominent Civil War general and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Garfield was known for his strong stance on civil service reform and his efforts to modernize the government. Garfield's presidency was cut short when he was shot by Charles J. Guiteau on July 2, 1881. He struggled for months with his injuries before succumbing to infection on September 19, 1881. His untimely death led to significant changes in U.S. civil service laws, ultimately resulting in the Pendleton Act of 1883.