Battle of Aiken facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Aiken Action at Aiken
Part of the Campaign of the Carolinas
Date February 11, 1865 Location Aiken, South Carolina Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick	Joseph Wheeler
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
45-495 O.P Casey, an adjutant of the 12th Alabama Regiment	50-251

The Battle of Aiken (also called the Action at Aiken) happened on February 11, 1865. This was during the American Civil War, when Union General William Tecumseh Sherman was marching through South Carolina.

The main commanders in this battle were Union Major General Hugh Judson Kilpatrick and Confederate Major General Joseph Wheeler. General Wheeler and his troops won a small victory over Kilpatrick. Today, people still remember this battle with an annual re-enactment. This event takes place in Aiken, South Carolina, every February.

The Battle of Aiken

How the Battle Started

On February 1, 1865, General Sherman began his famous march into South Carolina. He sent General Kilpatrick and his cavalry (soldiers on horseback) to ride through the state. Kilpatrick's cavalry was part of the 5th U.S. Cavalry.

By February 5, Kilpatrick's troops had reached Aiken County. Here, they met Confederate General Joseph Wheeler's cavalry. Wheeler's goal was to protect the city of Augusta from the Union army.

Wheeler's Plan

General Wheeler's troops were positioned near Aiken. He had the Aiken Home Guard and his own cavalry under his command. Wheeler came up with a clever plan to trap Kilpatrick's forces.

He arranged his cavalry in a "V" shape. He placed some skirmishers (soldiers who fight in small groups) in front of the "V." The idea was that when Kilpatrick's troops attacked, the skirmishers would fall back into the center of the "V." Once Kilpatrick's soldiers were inside the "V," the sides would close in, trapping them.

The Fight in Aiken

The battle began at 9:00 AM on February 11. Wheeler's plan almost worked perfectly. However, one Confederate soldier fired his gun too early. This made General Wheeler order all his soldiers to attack the Union forces right away.

The battle turned into close-quarters combat all over the town. There were reports of a Confederate soldier trying to attack General Kilpatrick with a pistol, but it didn't fire. After a tough fight, Kilpatrick's troops lost the battle. They had to retreat to their defenses in Montmorenci.

For the rest of the day, there were small skirmishes between the two armies. Later, the commanders agreed to a truce to collect the wounded and dead. On February 13, Kilpatrick's forces left and rejoined General Sherman. Even though he retreated, Kilpatrick claimed his side had won.

Who Won and What Happened Next

General Kilpatrick said that his troops had killed 31 Confederate soldiers. He also claimed they wounded 160 and captured 60, making a total of 251 Confederate casualties.

However, General Wheeler reported different numbers. He said his side had only 50 casualties. He claimed they killed 53 Union soldiers, wounded 270, and captured 172. This would mean the Union suffered 495 casualties.

After the battle, Wheeler's decision to attack Kilpatrick left the Edisto River area open. This also made Columbia more vulnerable to Union forces.

Remembering the Battle

Monuments and Re-enactments

To honor the Battle of Aiken, a granite monument was placed in the town. It stands at the corner of Richland Avenue and Chesterfield Street.

People in the area also re-enact the battle every year. These re-enactments take place on rural land a few miles from where the actual battle happened. The first re-enactment was held in 1965. It was organized by John A. May and Herman Boland, who were descendants of Confederate soldiers.

The Film "The Battle of Aiken"

In 2005, a film about this battle was made. It was called The Battle of Aiken. Christopher Forbes directed the film, and he co-wrote it with Michael G. Hennessy.