On May 28, 1864, at the Battle of Dallas, there was at the center of Dawes's regiment a road leading to Lost Mountain which was left open. It was the evident to Dawes that the Confederates were going to force their way through this road and capture the Union supply trains. Dawes ascertained the Union line could break at this point, so he rushed to the road just as the Confederate advance was within about 50 feet of the Union line which began to waver. During the melee of battle Dawes was struck by a Minié ball on the left side of his lower jaw. It tore off his lower lip and chin so that it hung down, removing almost all his lower teeth and cut his tongue. As he was carried off Dawes managed to scribe in the dust on the carriage floor, "Good for a 60 day furlough?" Dawes subsequently was honorably discharged on October 31, 1864. After months of suffering from this wound, Dawes had his jaw reconstructed by Dr. George Blackman, and finally was restored to health. Despite the serious wound to his jaw, Dawes later went on to become a gifted public speaker.