Colonel Aiken was born in Winnsboro, Fairfield County, S.C., March 17th, 1828.  He graduated at the South Carolina College in the class of 1849.  Was professor at Mt.  Zion College for two years, and married Miss Mattie Gaillard in 1852, settling at “Bellevue” Farm, near Winnsboro.  He became county editor of Winnsboro News and Herald, and was married the second time to Miss Smith, of Abbeville, and removed to that county in 1858.  Was fond of agriculture, and was editor of various periodicals devoted to that and kindred pursuits.

In 1861 he volunteered as a private in the Seventh South Carolina Volunteers, and was appointed Adjutant of that regiment.  At the reorganization of the regiment in 1862 he was elected Colonel to succeed Colonel Bacon, who declined re-election.  At Sharpsburg he received a wound in the body, which for a long time was feared to be fatal.  He, however, returned in June, 1863, and commanded his regiment in the Gettysburg battle, after which he was deemed unable for further active service in the field, and was appointed “commandant of the post” at Macon, Ga.  This position he held for one year, and then discharged from the army as being unfit for further service.

After the war he was selected for three terms to the State Legislature.  He was “Master of State Grange Patrons of Husbandry,” and was twice President of the “State Agricultural and Mechanical Society of South Carolina.”  He was chosen Democratic standard bearer for Congress in the memorable campaign of 1876, and continually re-elected thereafter until his death, which occurred on April 6th, 1887.

Colonel Aiken was also one of nature’s noblemen, bold, fearless, and incorruptible.  He did as much, or perhaps more, than any of the many great and loyal men of that day to release South Carolina from the coils of the Republican ring that ruled the State during the dark days of Reconstruction.

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CHAPTER XII

From Winchester to Fredericksburg.

The brigade remained in camp in a beautiful grove, about four miles beyond Winchester, until the last of October.  Here the regiments were thoroughly organized and put in good shape for the next campaign.  Many officers and non-commissioned officers had been killed, or totally disabled in the various battles, and their places had to be filled by election and promotion.  All officers, from Colonel down, went up by regular grades, leaving nothing but the Third Lieutenants to be elected.  The non-commissioned officers generally went up by promotion also, where competent, or the Captains either promoted them by regular grade or left the selection to the men of the company.  We had lost no field officer killed, except Lieutenant Colonel Garlington, of the Third, and Major Rutherford was promoted to that position, and Captain R.C.  Maffett made Major.  Several Lieutenants in all the regiments were made Captains,