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24th Illinois Infantry
in the American Civil War
Online Books:
24th Illinois Infantry Soldier Roster - Report of the Adjutant
General of the State of Illinois, Volume 2, Revised by Brigadier General J.N.
Reece, Adjutant General, 1900
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Entire Book
| Regimental History |
| Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry. — Cols., Frederick Hecker, Geza
Mihalotzy ; Lieut.-Cols., Geza Mihalotzy, John Van Horn; Majs., Julian
Kune, Julius Standan, George A. Guenther, John Van Horn. The 24th
infantry, known as the First Hecker regiment (the 82nd being the
second), was organized at Chicago, with two companies, to-wit : the
Union Cadets and the Lincoln Rifles, from the three months' service in
June, 1861, and was mustered in July 8, 1861, for three years. It left
Chicago early in July, under orders to report at Alton, Ill., whence it
moved to St. Charles, Mo., and thence to Mexico, Mo. It was engaged in
various duties, covering a wide stretch of country, until the spring of
1862, when it took part in the campaign into Alabama. On the same day
that Huntsville was occupied, the whole of the 24th and two companies of
the 19th Ill., with one section of Simonson's battery, moved to Decatur
on the Memphis & Charleston rail-road, captured in the fortifications
built there for the protection of the Decatur bridge 500 bales of
cotton, and on the opposite side of the bridge the full equipage of a
Confederate regiment. Joining Gen. Negley in May, the regiment encamped
with his command on June 4 at the foot of the Cumberland mountains,
crossed Waldron's ridge on the 5th, drove back Gen. Adams' cavalry
across the valley, and arrived opposite Chattanooga on June 7. The
regiment arrived at Stevenson, Ala., on June 11, and marched thence to
Jasper, Tenn., where it encountered the enemy and engaged him in a sharp
fight. When Bragg commenced his march into Kentucky, the regiment joined
the forces in pursuit and took an active part in the battle of
Perryville. With the 2nd Ohio it was ordered forward to support the
skirmishers. The Ohio regiment was driven back, but the 24th Ill., led
by Gen. Rousseau in person, reached the position and went into action on
the left of the 33d Ohio. The order was given to charge bayonets, which
was done, and then a hand-to-hand conflict ensued with clubbed muskets,
the Confederates being finally driven from the front of the regiment.
About one-third of the entire command were stricken down, but the
regiment rallied around its colors and fought until the enemy was
routed. At one crisis of the battle the artillery horses at the left
were all killed or had become unmanageable. The 24th Ill. and 79th Pa.
were ordered to hold the enemy in check while the guns were drawn from
the field by the 1st Wis. and the order was successfully carried out.
The regiment participated in the battle of Stone's river and after that
engagement went into camp near Murfreesboro. It participated in the
Tullahoma campaign during the early summer of 1863, and took a prominent
part in the battle of Chickamauga. At a critical time during the first
day's fighting the 79th Pa., which was in front, was thrown back in
dismay, leaving a battery wholly exposed, with the 24th Ill. a few steps
away in the rear. Then ensued a desperate struggle for the possession of
the battery, and the loss sustained by the regiment in the encounter was
even greater than that suffered at Perryville. For a time it stood alone
against an overpowering force of the enemy, until finally Johnson's
division came to its relief and the battery was saved. In the assault on
Missionary ridge the regiment formed a part of the reserve. It joined in
the pursuit of the enemy as far as Stevens' gap and then returned to
camp at Chattanooga, where it remained until Feb., 1864, when it
accompanied the 14th corps in the fight on Dalton by way of Tunnel Hill.
It participated in a sharp little engagement to the right of Dalton,
when it was advanced as an outpost into Buzzard Roost gap. During the
Atlanta campaign the regiment participated in a number of engagements,
chief of which were the battles of Resaca and Kennesaw mountain. Its
term of service having expired, it was returned to the rear during the
latter part of July, 1864, and on Aug. 6, was mustered out at Chicago. |
Footnotes:
Regimental history taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing
Company, 1908 - Volume 3
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