It was thought, and was also stated in the papers, that I could not live, and I told General Halleck afterwards that they expected to have the credit of making a Brigadier-General and at the same time to have a vacancy, too, but that on the vacancy I fooled them, for the promotion insured my getting well.
Dodge humorously describes how his promotion was perceived and its impact on his recovery.
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They never fell under my command again, but on every field that they fought they won the praise of their commanders, and General Grant ordered that they should place on their banners, "First at Chickasaw Bayou.
Our men fought like heroes; many fell covered with wounds.
They crawled in on their hands and knees, and swept the enemy from that front.
Every man was at his post; every man doing a hero's duty.
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