of the Ninety-second Illinois until they arrived at the edge of the village of Aiken, where they had built barricades and prepared to make a stand. The Ninety-second Illinois was then deployed in line upon the right of the road and engaged the enemy at once, while the Ninth Michigan was formed upon the left. Lieutenant Clark's section of Artillery was posted in the road some distance in the rear, which I was ordered to support, by forming my regiment on the right along the edge of a wood fronting a corn-field about 300 yards wide, beyond which was another wood, behind which were the enemy's works, and in which the Ninety-second Illinois Mounted Infantry were fighting.

At this time the firing in front became heavy and general, and I received an order from General Atkins to extend my right, as the enemy was making a movement upon our right flank. I accordingly moved my Third Battalion, Captain Irvine commanding, some distance to the right, moving forward its left flank ready to meet any demonstration from that direction. I also sent forward Company F, to watch the movement of the enemy. In the meantime the enemy, having concentrated a heavy fire upon the center near the road, was driving back General Kilpatrick and part of the forces which had been with him in the front. Some confusion was manifested; some of the boldest of the enemy had followed the general and his escort nearly to the place where our Artillery was posted, and when I arrived at the two battalions I left in line they had just turned to the right about and were slowly moving to the rear. I asked of the officer the cause, and he said an order had been given from the left by a staff officer to fall back. Feeling sure, as I did, that there must have been some mistake about the order, as such a movement at that time would endanger our Artillery, and also expose a large number of our men of the Ninety-second Illinois and Ninth Michigan Regiments to capture, I ordered the battalion about and charged back upon the enemy, driving them back across the field into the edge of the town, the charge being led against the heaviest force of the enemy by my adjutant, Lieutenant A. T. Hamilton, who, at the head of the left flank of the regiment, most gallantly dashed into the town, driving the enemy before him in confusion. The Artillery by this time having been withdrawn, I received orders to move back, as the enemy was round our left flank. I accordingly moved back in column of squadron and reformed in an orchard and held the enemy in check on the right of the road, while the Ninth Michigan (I believe it was) did the same upon the left or south of the road. In this way we fell back alternately with the Tenth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, and protecting the rear until we reached our barricades, where the enemy, after feeling our position, retired.

When within 200 yards, while forming our last line, my adjutant received a shot near the right knee, killing his horse and so injuring him that after lingering until the 6th of March he died, making the third son of the family who has fallen in their country's service. He was regarded by all as one of the most valuable officers in the regiment, noble generous, and brave; he died the highest and truest type of an American soldier, and I would respectfully ask that he receive from the commanding general an honorable mention among the dead who have fallen during tour memorable campaign.

In this engagement the regiment lost 7 men wounded, whose names are given in the surgeon's report herewith attached also 4 captured.

After remaining a day at our works tearing up the railroad the division left the railroad and moved north across the Edisto, covering the left flank of our infantry for several days. Although detach-