Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 16.djvu/32

 26 Southern Historical Society Papers.

not keep out of the service, and in 1862 he raised a company in Fairfield, and with Colonel P. H. Nelson, of Kershaw, formed a battalion, with Colonel Nelson as lieutenant-colonel and himself as major. With this battalion he served during the rest of the war. On the I4th July, 1863, he was complimented in general orders by General Beauregard for leading successfully an attack on Morris Island in which he was wounded by a bayonet. Going to Virginia with Hagood's brigade in the spring of 1864, on the I4th May, pre- ceding the battle at Drury's Bluff, he drove back a line of battle with his skirmishers. He was wounded in the battle on the i6th May, but continued on the field during the whole day. At Petersburg, on I4th June, he again led, at night, a line of skirmishers of Hagood's brigade and drove back the advance of General Baldy Smith; again, on the i8th June, he led another attactc.

He was twice offered and refused the command of the Twenty- second regiment, and after the battle of Bentonville was offered by General Johnston a commission as temporary brigadier-general.

Colonel Rion and his battalion served on the coast of South Caro- lina in Fort Sumter and battery Wagner, and in Virginia and North Carolina, and were engaged in twenty-two battles.

There were, besides these, two troops of cavalry from Fairfield. One troop in the First cavalry under Colonel J. L. Blacks, and another in the Sixth cavalry under Colonel Hugh K. Aiken, and another com- pany in James' battalion. There were also soldiers from Fairfield in the Second, Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth regiments.

Colonel Aiken's life was another sacrifice for Fairfield in the cause of the South. He had been wounded at Trevillian's Station and was killed at Lynch Creek, in Chesterfield county, just before the surren- der. Coldnel Aiken was a gallant soldier and an estimable citizen. His distinguished brother, Colonel D. Wyat Aiken, colonel of the Seventh regiment, also was a native of this county and should be counted amorig her sons who served the State so well.

Bratton, the \Meanses, the Aikens, the Davises, Rion, McMaster, Woodward and\Black were heroes enough for Fairfield. But the heroism of our troops was not confined to their leaders. The descendants of those, who had fought under the Brattons and McLures in the Revolution, were as brave as their leaders and as conscientious in the discharge of their duty.