24th Michigan Infantry

Since I included the commander of the 24th Michigan in our last post and I've seen a roadside plaque monument to the regiment, I felt I would just do a very brief look at them to highlight the monument.

Unit history taken from the Soldiers and Sailors Database.  For further information, I recommend reading Alan T. Nolen's The Iron Brigade: a Military History. Originally Published in 1961, this book is still available and is a personal favorite of mine.

As a small side note, I'm often asked why there were so few casualties (relatively speaking) given the amount of ammunition fired by the infantry soldier.  The answer to that, which is included in the book, is that the soldiers were drilled in the carrying and loading of their weapons.  They were not normally given target practice! I would have to call that the ultimate in "on the job training."  The 24th did have two recorded target practices.  The first resulted in three men getting wounded and one dying of a heart attack.  The second occurred after the battle of Gettysburg during which the regiment suffered 80% total casualties.

-Corporal

UNION MICHIGAN VOLUNTEERS

24th Regiment, Michigan Infantry

Overview:

Organized at Detroit, Mich., and mustered in August 15, 1862. Moved to Washington, D. C., August 29, 1862. Attached to Defences of Washington, D. C., to October, 1862. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to November, 1862. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Army Corps, to August, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to February, 1865. Springfield, Ill., Northern Department, to June, 1865.

Service:

Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till October 1, 1862. Moved to Frederick, Md., October 1, thence to Sharpsburg, Md., October 6, and to Warrenton, Va., October 20-November 6. Guard Richmond, Fredericksburg & Aquia Creek Railroad November 25-December 6. Advance to Falmouth December 6-11. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. "Mud March" January 20-24, 1863. At Belle Plain till April. Expedition to Port Royal and Port Conway April 22-23. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2. Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30. Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5. Operations on Northern Neck May 20-26. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 1-3. (Division was first Infantry force under fire, and Regiment lost in first day's fight 316 killed, wounded and missing, out of 496.) Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Duty on line of the Rappahannock and Rapidan till October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Haymarket October 19. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7, 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Laurel Hill May 8; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Mills May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to February 11, 1865. Weldon Railroad August 18-21, 1864. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Warren's Raid on Weldon Railroad December 7-12. Dabney's Mills February 5-7, 1865. Ordered to Baltimore, Md., for special duty February 11, 1865. Moved to Springfield, Ill., February 15, and assigned to garrison and guard duty there at Draft Rendezvous till June 19. Regiment selected as escort at funeral of President Lincoln. Mustered out June 30, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 12 Officers and 177 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 3 Officers and 136 Enllsted men by disease. Total 328.