He was selected by Sherman to lead the assault on Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1864, and took his brigade directly up to the Confederate works. Just before the attack, he calmly recited to his men the stanza from Thomas Macaulay's poem of "" beginning "Then how may man die better than facing fearful odds?" He had reached the top of the enemy's works, and was encouraging his men to follow him, when he was mortally wounded by a rifle shot to his right lung. For the courage that he displayed in this assault, he was promoted to the full rank of brigadier general, to date from July 16, 1864. He was appointed a brevet major general effective on the day he died, but the appointment was not confirmed by the Senate.