These Federal dead require some research. The 5th US Cav was never in Sherman's army. So what unit did these men belong to?
From Wikipedia
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Before the battle, on February 1, General Sherman began to invade South Carolina.[4] During the invasion 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 would 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
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