Fighting

Before the battle, on February 1, General Sherman began his invasion of South Carolina.^[4] During the campaign he ordered Hugh Judson Kilpatrick and his cavalry corps from the Fifth U.S Cavalry to march through South Carolina.^[4][5] By February 5, he crossed into Aiken County where he would engage in battle with Joseph Wheeler's cavalry corps. Wheeler attacked Kilpatrick, who didn't expect any resistance, despite having orders to not pursue Kilpatrick's cavalry.^[5] Wheeler moved to defend the city of Augusta from the Union army. His army was stationed at 204 Park Avenue between Benjamin Franklin Cheatham and James Argle Smith's forces.^[5] The Aiken Home Guard and a cavalry corps were under Wheeler's command.^[4][6] He planned to defeat Kilpatrick by forming his cavalry into a V-shaped formation with skirmishers deployed above it. When Kilpatrick charged the skirmishers, they would retreat into the center of the "V." Once Kilpatrick entered the formation the tips of the "V" would collapse, thus encircling Kilpatrick.^[4] On February 11, at 9:00 AM,^[6] the battle started.

Wheeler's plan might have worked if had not been for a single Confederate soldier who fired his gun prematurely.^[4][5][7] Resulting in Wheeler ordering all of his soldiers to attack the Union forces.^[4] The armies engaged in hand-to-hand combat all across the town.^[4] During the fighting, it was reported that a Confederate soldier ran up to Kilpatrick and attacked the general with his pistol. However, the pistol did not go off.^[4] After Kilpatrick lost the battle, so he retreated back to his defenses at Montmorenci. For the rest of the day Confederate and Union soldiers skirmished. This was until the two commanders signed a truce and agreed to collect the bodies.^[4] Later, on February 13, Kilpatrick retreated and rejoined Sherman.^[4] Despite all of this, Kilpatrick declared himself victorious. In the aftermath of the battle, Wheeler's decision to attack Kilpatrick left the Edisto River, and in turn Columbia, vulnerable.^[8]

Casualties

According to General Kilpatrick, he had killed 31 Confederate soldiers, wounded 160, and captured 60. This would result in the Confederates taking 251 Casualties.^[4] However general Wheeler states that he had suffered 50 casualties and that he had killed 53 Union soldiers, wounded 270, and captured 172.^[4] This totals to 495 Union Casualties.^[4]