They missed the elephant, though

Nyaah, nyaah, nyaah nyaah nyaah

General John Sedgwick was a corps commander in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. At the Battle of the Wilderness (May 9, 1864), while inspecting his troops, he approached a parapet and peered out over the surrounding countryside. His officers and men urged him to take cover, but Sedgwick scoffed.

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance," he said.

A moment later Sedgwick went down, blood spurting "in a little fountain" from a hole in his cheek. He died within an hour.