Legendary commanders embody charismatic qualities that inspire men to follow them into battle. One such leader is Brigadier General Alexander Hays. Mounted on his horse, he is a target for enemy gunfire. Urging his unit forward on May 5, 1864, Hays falls from his saddle as a bullet strikes his forehead. When General Ulysses S. Grant learns of Hays’ death he remarks, “He was a noble and a gallant officer. I am not surprised that he met his death at the head of his troops.”
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