having placed my command in the best position to repel the enemy, and having barricaded my front, awaited the remainder of the division under General Kilpatrick, which was some eight miles in my rear. My advance on this occasion was one battalion of the Eighth Indiana, Captain Crowell (since promoted Major) who, with Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, who commands the regiment, and who passed forward to the advance when the skirmishing became heavy, deserve great praise for their firmness, bravery, and discretion. I would respectfully call your attention to the accompanying report of Colonel Jones for further particulars.

On the following morning, February 11, 1865, the Second Brigade, General Atkins, accompanied by Major-General Kilpatrick, moved on a reconnaissance toward Aiken, leaving the First, Third, and Dismounted Brigades under my command, to hold the position and prepare to cover the Second Brigade, in case it should meet with heavy bodies of the enemy. The Second Brigade was soon briskly engaged, and finding when approaching Aiken that Wheeler and his whole force was at that point, after a most gallant action, in which the town was captured, retired, closely pursued by the enemy till our guns, in position at the barricades, stopped their pursuit, and the Second Brigade formed behind our defenses. The enemy finding the right of our position so strongly defended, formed in the thick woods on our left, and in a few minutes made a most determined assault upon our works. The Eighth Indiana, Second Kentucky, and Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry of my command most gallantly met the charge and hurled back the foe, killing and wounding a large number. The Artillery and howitzer batteries did good service in this action, sending shell and canister into their exposed ranks, adding greatly to the enemy's discomfiture. We remained in camp at this point, recruiting our horses, and daily skirmishing with the enemy, misleading him as to our intentions 'till the morning of the 13th, when the division (the First Brigade covering the rear) marched to the Edisto near Guignard's Brigade and the next day marched to Gunter's Bridge on the North Edisto, where the enemy disputed our passage, but were driven off after a smart skirmish by the dismounted brigade. On the following morning we marched toward Lexington and encamped for the night near Mims' Mill, and on the morning of the 16th entered Lexington. By order of General Kilpatrick I moved out on the Wise Ferry road two miles from town and encamped. The next day we moved to the Saluda River near Mount Zion Church, and during the night crossed on the pontoon bridge and encamped at Dutch Church for the night. From this, marching toward and threatening Alston and crossing Broa night of the 19th we encamped near daybreak seven miles from the river on the road to Monticello which we reached on the 20th, and passing on, in two days we reached the Columbia and Charlotte Railroad at De Bardeleben's Cross-Roads and store within ten miles of Chesterville, holding this point while the infantry destroyed the railroad, and deceiving him as to our intentions, holding him at Chesterville and the enemy's infantry at Charlotte, while the columns of our army pressed toward the east. On the morning of the 23rd, my brigade in the rear, the division withdrew to the crossing of the Catawba at Rocky Mount (classic ground, filled with Revolutionary reminiscences), where we crossed and on the 25th reached Lancaster, S. C., having marched for two days through mud and water knee-deep to our horses.