24th Illinois Infantry

Regimental History and Service Record

Also referred to as the 1st Hecker Regiment

Organized at Chicago, Ill., and mustered in July 8, 1861. Moved to Alton, Ill., July 10, 1861, thence to St. Charles and Mexico, Mo. Moved to Ironton, Mo., July 28. Reconnaissance from Ironton to Centreville August 2. Moved to Pilot Knob, Mo., August 8. Moved to Cape Girardeau, Mo., thence to Cairo, Ill., and ordered to Washington, D. C, September 15. Moved to Cincinnati, Ohio; thence ordered to Louisville, Ky., September 28. Attached to Thomas Command, Department of the Ohio, to November, 1861. 8th Brigade, Army of the Ohio, to December, 1861. 8th Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Ohio, to July, 1862. Unattached R. R. Guard to September, 1862. 28th Brigade, 3rd Division, Army of the Ohio, to October, 1862. 28th Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Ohio, to November, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, Centre, 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to January, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Army Corps, Army of the Cumberland, to April, 1863. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Army Corps, to October, 1863. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 14th Army Corps, to May, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 14th Army Corps, to August, 1864.

SERVICE.--Duty at Muldraugh's Hill, Ky., until November 30, 1861. At Elizabethtown, Ky., until December 22, and at Beacon Creek, Ky., until February 10, 1862.

Advance on Bowling Green, Ky., February 10-15.
February 15, 1862 - Occupation of Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Occupation until February 23.

Advance on Nashville, Tenn., February 23-25. Occupation of Nashville February 25-March 18. Advance on Murfreesboro March 18-19. Reconnaissance to Shelbyville, Tullahoma and McMinnville March 25-28. Advance on Huntsville, Ala., April 4-11. Capture of Huntsville April 11. Advance on and capture of Decatur and Tuscumbia April 11-14. Occupation of Decatur April 13. Occupation of Tuscumbia until April 22. Moved to Jonesboro April 22-24, and to Decatur and Huntsville April 25-30. Moved to Athens May 1, and duty there until May 26.

May 1-May 2, 1862 - Operations near Athens, Alabama
Negley's Expedition to Chattanooga, Tenn., May 26-June 11.
June 7-8, 1862 - Skirmishes near Chattanooga, Tennessee^[1]

March to Jasper June 11-16. Rankin's Ferry, near Jasper and Battle Creek, June 21. At Battle Creek until July 11, thence moved to Tullahoma and duty on Nashville & Chattanooga R. R. until September. March to Nashville, thence to Louisville, Ky., September 7-28. Pursuit of Bragg into Kentucky October 1-16.

October 8, 1862 - Battle of Perryville, Kentucky

Duty at Mitchellsville until December. March to Nashville December 7-9. Advance on Murfreesboro December 26-30. Action at Jefferson December 30. Battle of Stone's River December 31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863. Duty at Murfreesboro until June. Expedition to McMinnville April 20-30. Middle Tennessee (or Tullahoma) Campaign June 24-July 7. Hoover's Gap June 24-26. Occupation of Middle Tennessee until August 16.

August 16-September 22, 1863 - The Chickamauga Campaign
- Dug Gap, Ga., September 11.
- September 19-September 20, 1863 - Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia
- Rossville Gap September 21.
September 24-October 27, 1863 - Siege of Chattanooga, Tennessee
November 23-27, 1863 - The Chattanooga/Ringgold Campaign
- Orchard Knob November 23-24.
- Mission Ridge November 25.
- Pursuit to Stevens' Gap November 26-27.
At Chattanooga until February, 1864.
- January 21, 1864 - Scout from Chattanooga, Tennessee (detachment)
Demonstration on Dalton, Ga., February 22-27.
Tunnel Hill, Buzzard's Roost Gap and Rocky Faced Ridge February 23-25.
At Tyner's Station and Graysville, Ga., until May, 1864.
May 1-September 5, 1864 - The Atlanta Campaign
- May 8-11, 1864 - Demonstration against Rocky Faced Ridge, Georgia
- May 14-May 15, 1864 - Battle of Resaca, Georgia
- Advance on Dallas May 22-25.
- May 25-June 5, 1864 - Operations in Bartow County, Georgia
- Operations about Marietta and against Kenesaw Mountain June 10-28.
- Pine Hill June 11-14.
- Lost Mountain June 15-17.
- Assault on Kenesaw Mountain June 27.

Sent to rear June 28 for muster out. Mustered out August 6, 1864. Expiration of term.