smith's experience, dignity, and unselfish character made him grant's mainstay in the early days of the war. when theater commander major general henry halleck became distrustful and perhaps jealous of grant, he briefly relieved him of field command of the army's expedition up the tennessee river toward corinth, mississippi and gave that responsibility to smith. however, halleck soon restored grant to field command (intervention by president abraham lincoln may have been a factor). grant's restoration was fortunate because by the time grant reached savannah, tennessee, smith had already met with an accident while jumping into a rowboat that seriously injured his leg, forcing him out of field duty. his senior brigadier, w.h.l. wallace, led his division (and was fatally wounded) at the battle of shiloh.