The Twenty-fourth was recruited mostly in Wayne County and was rendezvoused at Detroit. The regiment was mustered into service Aug. 15, 1862.

At organization the field, staff and line officers were as follows:

Colonel, Henry A. Morrow, Detroit. Lieutenant Colonel, Mark Flanigan, Detroit. Major, Henry W. Nail, Detroit. Surgeon, John H. Beech. Coldwater. Assistant Surgeon, Charles C. Smith, Redford. Second As­sistant Surgeon, Alexander Collar, Wayne. Adjutant, James J. Barnes, De­troit. Quartermaster, Digby V. Bell, Jr., Detroit. Chaplain, William C. Way, Plymouth.

1. Captain, Edwin B. Wight, Detroit. First Lieutenant, Richard S. Dillon, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, Henry R. Whiting, Detroit.
2. Captain, Isaac W. Ingersoll, Detroit. First Lieutenant, William H. Rexford, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, F. Augustus Buhl, Detroit.
3. Captain, Calvin B. Crosby, Plymouth. First Lieutenant, Charles A. Hoyt, Plymouth. Second Lieutenant, Winfield S. Safford, Plymouth.
4. Captain, William J. Speed, Detroit. First Lieutenant, John M. Far- land, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, Charles C. Yemens, Redford.
5. Captain, James Cullen, Detroit. First Lieutenant, John J. Lennon, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, Malachi J. O’Donnell, Detroit.
6. Captain, Albert M. Edwards, Detroit. First Lieutenant, Asa W. Sprague, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, Jacob M. Howard, Jr., Detroit.
7. Captain, William A. Owen, Detroit. First Lieutenant, William Hutchinson, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, George W. Burchell, Detroit.
8. Captain, Warren G. Vinton, Detroit. First Lieutenant, John C. Merritt, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, Newell Grace, Redford.
9. Captain, George C. Gordon, Detroit. First Lieutenant. Henry P. Kinney, Detroit. Second Lieutenant, John M. Gordon, Redford.
11. Captain. William W. Wight, Livonia. First Lieutenant, Walter H. Wallace, Brownstown. Second Lieutenant, David Birrell, Detroit.

The Twenty-fourth left Detroit August 29, 1862, in command of Colonel Morrow to join the army of the Potomac, and arrived in Washington, D. C., September 2. The regiment occupied a number of different camps and made many long marches during September, October and November, and formed a part of the First Brigade, First Division, First Corps. It crossed the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg, December 12, and during the 13th and 14th supported a battery during the two days, being constantly under fire of the enemy’s guns and losing quite heavily in killed and wounded. At Port Royal, on the 23d of April, the regiment made a brilliant attack, cap­turing a number of prisoners and driving the enemy from the place.

The Twenty-fourth again crossed the Rappahannock on the 29th and drove the enemy from his works, capturing a number of prisoners with considerable loss to the regiment in killed and wounded.

The Twenty-fourth entered upon the Pennsylvania campaign and was soon to experience all the horrors and the glory of one of the most des­perate conflicts of the war. The Brigade to which the Twenty-fourth belonged, by its steadiness under fire, by its prompt obedience to orders, by its determination to hold its ground under all circumstances, and its readi­ness to assault the enemy, had gained the name of the “Iron Brigade” through the army and that honorable distinction was accorded to it during the war and has passed as such into history.

The First Corps, of which the Twenty-fourth formed a part, marched from the Rappahannock through Pennsylvania and arrived at Gettysburg July 1st, where it was immediately engaged. The Division to which the Twenty-fourth belonged was one of the first infantry commands to come into action in the three days’ battle. The first order received was to charge when the Twenty-fourth, with the balance of the Division, dashed forward and captured a large part of the Confederate General Archer’s Brigade.

The Twenty-fourth was a part of the First Brigade and this Brigade now changed front and formed line of battle in McPherson’s woods. The Confederates advanced in double lines, their numbers being sufficient to overlap and flank the Union forces and pouring a murderous fire into the line of blue, forced it slowly back upon a new position. The carnage here was frightful. The ground was strewn with the dead and wounded, four color bearers were killed and three wounded in holding the flag aloft. The Twenty-fourth went into action with 28 officers and 468 men, and during the first day of the battle 22 officers were killed or wounded, 71 enlisted men were killed, 223 men were wounded, a total loss of 316. Colonel Mor­row received a severe scalp wound and fell into the hands of the enemy. He was removed to a house in Gettysburg and when the Confederates re­treated he was left in that town. The regiment occupied Culp’s Hill, the second and third days of the battle, but was not seriously engaged.

The regiment, in command of Captain Edwards, all the field officers having been killed or wounded, marched from the battlefield July 6, in pursuit of the retreating Confederates, crossed the Potomac and reached the Rappahannock Aug. 1.

During the summer and fall, the regiment made a number of long marches, occupied important positions, and came in contact with the enemy at Mine Run where it distinguished itself by driving the enemy into his works and capturing a number of prisoners. It went into winter quarters at Culpepper, and on May 3, 1864, crossed the Rapidan and took part in the desperate struggle of the Wilderness.

During its engagements with the enemy in the wilds of the Wilderness it captured the colors of the Forty-eighth Virginia Infantry, together with a large number of prisoners, but at a cost of 18 killed, 46 wounded and 42 missing. Colonel Morrow was again severely wounded and the regiment passed in command of Captain Edwards, who had been promoted to Lieu­tenant Colonel.

From the Wilderness the regiment marched to Spotsylvania, where it was constantly under fire until the 21st of May, losing 11 killed, 39 wounded. In crossing the North Anna on the 23d the regiment was at­tacked but repulsed the enemy with a loss to the Twenty-fourth of 3 killed, 8 wounded and 5 missing. In the advance upon Cold Harbor it met with considerable loss, and after crossing the James River made a successful assault upon the enemy at Petersburg, taking into action 120 men and los­ing 38 in killed and wounded.

The Twenty-fourth participated in the siege of Petersburg, meeting with considerable loss from the enemy’s artillery and sharpshooters. Sev­eral times it was called upon to repel the attacks of the Confederates and obstinately held the ground, driving the enemy off with great slaughter.

October 27 it was engaged in the battle of Hatcher’s Run and took part in several expeditions around Petersburg, and though reduced in number by constant losses, still fought with spirit and vigor. Its last ser­ious engagement was at Dabney’s Mills the 11th of February, 1865, when it was ordered to Baltimore, Md., for special duty, and from that city the regiment was sent to Springfield, Ill., where it did garrison duty at a camp rendezvous, and while there was escort at the funeral of President Lincoln.

June 19th the Twenty-fourth left Springfield for Detroit, Mich., where it was mustered out and disbanded June 30, 1865.

During its term of service it took part in encounters with the enemy at Fredericksburg, Va., December 12 and 13, 1862; Port Royal, Va., April 23, 1863: Fitzhugh Crossing, April 29, 1863; Chancellorsville, Va., May 3, 1863; Westmorland, Va., May 23, 1863; Gettysburg, Penn., July 1, 2 and 3, 1863; Mine Rune, Va., November 29, 1863; Raccoon Ford, Va., February 5, 1864; Wilderness, Va., May 5, 6 and 7, 1864; Spotsylvania, Va., May 10, 11 and 12, 1864; North Anna, Va., May 28, 1864; Tolopotomy, Va., May 30, 1864; Cold Harbor, Va.. June 1, 1864; Bethesda Church, Va., June 2, 3 and 4, 1864; Petersburg, Va., June 18, 1864; Weldon Railroad, Va., Aug. 18, 19, and 21, 1864; Hicksford, Va., December 9, 1864; Hatcher’s Run, Va., Octo­ber 27, T864; Dabney’s Mills, Va., February 6 and 7, 1865; siege of Peters­burg, Va., June 17, 1864, to February 11, 1865.

The Twenty-fourth had borne on its rolls 2,054 officers and men, while its loss was 313, as follows: 12 officers and 118 men killed in action, 1 of­ficer and 38 men died of wounds, and 2 officers and 142 men of disease.