retreated on the Augusta road, leaving 1 killed and 3 wounded. That night we camped in Barnwell. On the next day, the 7th of February, we camped on the railroad at Blackville, effectually destroying the road by burning ties and bending rails, and continued until the morning of the 11th, leisurely marching toward Augusta, camping upon the track and destroying the road. This movement of our cavalry detained Cheatham's corps of infantry in Augusta and called Wheeler back from the right of the Army, he reaching Aiken with the main body of his cavalry in the night of the 10th of February, having made a circuitous and forced march north of the Edisto River.

On the morning of the 11th of February my brigade moved toward Aiken, unaccompanied by the division, General Kilpatrick accompanying us. Just beyond our pickets a lady informed us that Generals Cheatham and Wheeler had been at her house that morning. We pushed on, our advance easily driving the enemy to the east side of Aiken. The town being apparently vacated, General Kilpatrick directed me to send the Ninety-second Illinois to charge into the town, which they did handsomely, but found it held in force by the enemy. A division of the enemy, posted in the woods on their left (our right), charged in rear of the Ninety-second Illinois and formed in line. Lieutenant-Colonel Van Buskirk, commanding the Ninety-second Illinois, with admirable coolness left a skirmish line to hold the enemy in front, and facing to the rear, charged through the enemy and rejoined the brigade, which meantime had been formed in line of battle, the Ninth Michigan on the left of the road and railroad, and the Ninth Ohio on the right, with the Tenth Ohio in reserve. The Ninety-second was completely enveloped by overwhelming numbers, and came up to our line of battle so mixed up with the enemy we did not dare to fire; each was claiming the other prisoners and pulling one another off their horses, neither being armed with sabers. Lieutenant-Colonel Van Buskirk killed two of the enemy himself and knocked a third off his horse with his empty pistol. Our line of battle stood steadily, and at first opportunity gave the enemy a volley, which checked their advance, when the Ninth Ohio, Colonel Hamilton, charged the enemy on the right of road, the most of the Ninety-Second Illinois turning around and charging back with him, and Major McBride, Ninth Michigan charged with his battalion on the left of the road. The enemy were handsomely driven by this charge completely off the field and back into the town of Aiken. Our wounded were recovered and brought off the field, and the brigade leisurely fell back, the enemy following in force. We fell back over open ground, splendid for a cavalry fight, the enemy seeking our flanks, but not daring to attack strongly our line of battle, which we continually presented him. His charges were always broken by a few volleys coolly given, and a single regiment charging would always drive him.

Colonels Hamilton and Acker and Lieutenant-Colonel Van Buskirk handled their regiments with admirable coolness and skill, and are deserving of great praise.

This spirited Little engagement has done much to convince me of the superiority of our cavalry over the enemy's. For upward of three hours, with four small regiments- the Ninety-second Illinois, Ninth Michigan, Ninth and Tenth Ohio-I successfully fought Wheeler's entire command.

My loss was 53 killed, wounded, and missing; the enemy lost 72 in killed alone. The Ninety-second Illinois and Ninth Michigan are