The 24th Michigan Infantry Regiment was an infantry unit that fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was a member of the Union Iron Brigade. The regiment was chosen to serve as the honor guard during the funeral of Abraham Lincoln.
Service
The 24th Michigan Infantry was formed in Detroit, Michigan, and joined the Union army on August 15, 1862. It was assigned to the Iron Brigade in the Army of the Potomac. The brigade’s commander, General John Gibbon, asked for a new regiment to join his unit because the four regiments already in the brigade (the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin, and the 19th Indiana) had lost many soldiers in battles and had fewer than 1,000 men total by October 1862. He wanted the new regiment to come from the West because the others were from that region. After Gibbon’s request was approved, the 24th Michigan joined the Iron Brigade and fought its first battle at Fredericksburg, where it attacked a small group of Confederate horse artillery south of the town. The regiment later took part in a raid on Port Royal, Virginia, and fought at Fitzhugh Crossing. It earned the Model 1858 Hardee Hat of the Iron Brigade in May 1863.
The 24th Michigan did not fight in major battles during the Chancellorsville campaign, but at Gettysburg, it had 496 officers and soldiers. It lost 89 soldiers killed or mortally wounded, 218 wounded, and 56 captured, totaling 363 casualties. Of the 13 soldiers responsible for carrying the regiment’s flag during the first day of the battle, nine color bearers were killed or mortally wounded, and two were wounded. All the soldiers guarding the flag were killed or wounded, resulting in an 80% loss. The 24th Michigan and the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment suffered the highest number of casualties among Union forces at Gettysburg.
Colonel Morrow was wounded while carrying the regiment’s flag. Just before reaching a fence, he was hit in the head and fell. He was then helped from the battlefield by Lieutenant Charles Hutton of Company G. Captain Albert M. Edwards, the last officer not injured, took command of the regiment.
After Gettysburg, the 24th Michigan participated in other battles and campaigns with the Army of the Potomac. It fought in the Overland Campaign, including heavy fighting at the Battle of the Wilderness and the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. Colonel Morrow was wounded during the Wilderness, and Lieutenant Colonel William Wight took command for most of the Overland Campaign. However, Wight became ill during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, and Albert M. Edwards, then a major, led the regiment until he was forced to resign due to wounds from Gettysburg. Edwards was later promoted to lieutenant colonel, and Captain William Hutchinson became major. Colonel Morrow returned to command in December 1864 after being promoted to Brevet Brigadier General.
Following the Overland Campaign, the 24th Michigan took part in the Petersburg Campaign, fighting in battles such as Globe Tavern, Boydton Plank Road, and Peebles’ Farm. It was not present at Appomattox because it had been reassigned to Camp Butler, Illinois, two months earlier after participating in the Battle of Hatcher’s Run.
The regiment was chosen to escort President Abraham Lincoln’s funeral. It was mustered out of service on June 30, 1865.
Total strength and casualties
The regiment lost 12 officers and 177 enlisted men who were killed during battles or from injuries, and 3 officers and 136 enlisted men who died from illness, for a total of 328 deaths. Among these was John Litogot, the maternal uncle of automobile manufacturer Henry Ford, who was killed during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Another uncle of Ford, Barney Litogot, was wounded during the Battle of Gettysburg and remained with the regiment until the war ended. He also served as part of the honor guard during the funeral of President Abraham Lincoln.
Commanders
Colonel Henry Andrew Morrow was the regiment's leader from its start until he became a Brigadier General in January 1865, except during times when he recovered from wounds he received at Gettysburg and The Wilderness, and when he briefly led a brigade. He was wounded three times during the war: he suffered a head injury while holding the regiment's flag at Gettysburg, a leg wound during the opening fighting at The Wilderness, and a shoulder injury while serving as a general at Hatcher's Run. After his promotion to General, he commanded the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps until he was wounded at Hatcher's Run. After recovering, he became the last commander of the Iron Brigade. At the end of the war, he led a military unit in Kentucky. Morrow led the regiment in several battles, including Fredericksburg, Port Royal Expedition, Fitzhugh Crossing, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (until wounded), The Wilderness (until wounded again), and during the Siege of Petersburg. He also led a court martial board in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1864 until his promotion in January 1865. Originally from Warrenton, Virginia, he worked as a page in the U.S. Senate, where he was favored by Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan, who encouraged him to move to Detroit. He also fought in the Mexican-American War at the Battle of Monterrey. Before the Civil War, he was a judge in Wayne County, Michigan. After the war, he returned to the army, first working in Louisiana during Reconstruction, then becoming Colonel of the 21st Infantry Regiment (United States). He is credited with creating the modern U.S. Army Post Exchange, earning him the title "father of the PX." He continued serving in the regular army and stayed in contact with former soldiers, such as Colonel Edwards, until his death in 1891. Breveted Major General.
Lieutenant Colonel Albert Marshall Edwards was originally the commander of Company F. He was the highest-ranking officer from the regiment who survived the Battle of Gettysburg unharmed and unofficially led the regiment from Gettysburg until he became the permanent commander in January 1865 after Colonel Morrow's promotion, except when Colonel Morrow returned from recovery or when Lieutenant Colonel William Wight temporarily led the regiment until Wight resigned in June 1864. Edwards led the regiment during the rest of Gettysburg, the Mine Run Campaign, Spotsylvania Courthouse (when Wight was sick), the Battle of Cold Harbor, the June 18th part of the Second Battle of Petersburg (Edwards commanded 4th Division, V Corps skirmishers on June 17th, with Captain George W. Burchell leading the regiment in his place), most of the Siege of Petersburg, the Battle of Globe Tavern, the Battle of Boydton Plank Road, and the Battle of Hatcher’s Run. He was promoted to Major in February 1864 (backdated to November 1863), then to Lieutenant Colonel in July 1864 (backdated to June 1864, the same day Wight resigned), became permanent commander in January 1865, and served as the head of the honor guard for Abraham Lincoln's funeral. At the Battle of The Wilderness, then a Major, he captured the flag of the 48th Virginia Infantry during the battle's opening stages and handed it to Colonel Morrow before being sent to the hospital. Edwards fought in every battle the regiment participated in and was never wounded during the war, though he was wounded and captured while serving as a sergeant in the 1st Michigan Infantry at the First Battle of Bull Run. Before the war, he studied journalism at the University of Michigan and worked for the Detroit Advertiser and Tribune. Lieutenant Colonel Edwards died in Detroit in 1909. In 2018, the Michigan House of Representatives proposed a resolution to recommend the U.S. Congress award him the Medal of Honor posthumously, 109 years after his death. Breveted Colonel.
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Flanigan was the original Lieutenant Colonel for the regiment and led it when Colonel Morrow was serving as a brigade commander. He was wounded at Gettysburg, lost a leg, and was discharged due to his injuries. Before the war, he was the Wayne County Sheriff. After his discharge, he was appointed Provost General for the State of Michigan. Breveted Brigadier General.
Lieutenant Colonel William Wight led the regiment after Colonel Morrow was wounded at The Wilderness, commanding it for the rest of the battle. He was ill during the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse but returned to lead the regiment at the Battle of North Anna until he resigned due to poor health in June 1864. He was sent by the State of Michigan as an inspector during the 1864 Election. Originally the commander of Company K, he was wounded at Gettysburg. Edwin Wight, the commander of Company A who was promoted to Major before Gettysburg, was his younger brother.
Major William Hutchinson led the regiment at times in late 1864 and early 1865, especially after Colonel Morrow was promoted and when Lieutenant Colonel Edwards was on leave in January 1865 or was in charge of a court martial board in Springfield, Illinois, after the regiment was assigned to Camp Butler. He was wounded twice during the war: once at Gettysburg and again at the start of the Siege of Petersburg while having coffee with Lieutenant Colonel Edwards, just 15 minutes after returning from recruiting in Michigan. Major Hutchinson served on the honor guard for President Lincoln’s funeral and trained the regiment to be the funeral escort. After the war, he died in the sinking of the Morning Star (1862 ship) in 1868, one of the worst disasters on the Great Lakes. Breveted Lieutenant Colonel.
Captain George C. Gordon led the regiment at times when Lieutenant Colonel Edwards and Major Hutchinson were unavailable between the end of the war and the regiment's discharge. He was wounded and captured at Gettysburg, sent to Libby Prison and Andersonville Prison, and later escaped. Breveted Major.
The original field and staff officers and company line officers and their fates during the war, where information is available (* marking if they were discharged with the regiment):
Colonel-Henry A. Morrow, wounded three times, promoted to Brigadier General. Breveted Major General.
Lieutenant Colonel-Mark Flanigan, wounded, lost a leg at Gettysburg, discharged for wounds. Breveted Colonel and Brigadier General.
Major-Henry W. Nall, resigned due to tuberculosis he contracted while serving as a captain in the 7th Michigan Infantry Regiment, died shortly after his resignation.
Adjutant-James J. Burns, resigned due to disability.