Grant's near miss on the second day

While riding with Colonel McPherson and Major Hawkins to inspect the Union advance, Grant moved beyond the left of his troops. A sudden Confederate volley crossed the clearing before the group could escape its range and reach cover. McPherson's horse had been mortally hit, Hawkins lost his hat, and a ball nearly severed Grant's sword scabbard below the hilt. The incident shows that senior commanders remained exposed to battlefield danger even when they did not personally lead an assault. McPherson's horse showed no sign of its wound until the riders stopped, then died within minutes.