The Death of Gen. William H.L. Wallace-- Part 1

From the Iron Brigader blog.  "The Death of General W.H.L. Wallace at the Battle of Shiloh"  by Mark.

Wallace's division was farther back from the main Union line, nearer to Pittsburg Landing on April 6, 1862, as the Battle of Shiloh commenced.  He moved two of his brigades up to what became known as the Hornet's Nest.  As the Confederates continued attacks, eventually they got around the flanks of the Union soldiers there.

William Wallace decided to have his men fight their way out.  As this was happening, Wallace's aide-de-camp, Lt. Cyrus E. Dickey (who was also Wallace's brother-in-law) pointed out some advancing Confederate troops.  The two were on horseback and when Wallace rose up from the saddle for a better view a bullet hit him in the head behind his left ear and exited out his left eye.

The general immediately dropped to the ground.

Dickey believed Wallace was dead and with three others attempted to remove him from the field.  After a quarter of a mile they encountered heavy fire from both sides and were nearly overrun by Confederates so they left Wallace near some ammunition boxes hoping he wouldn't be trampled.

--Old Secesh