The 24th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment
(aka New England Guards)
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Unit History
The 24th Regt. Mass. Vol. Inf., the New England Guards Regiment, was recruited at Camp Massasoit, Readville, under the personal supervision of Maj. Thomas G. Stevenson of the old New England Guards Battalion - the 4th Battalion - M. V. M., who became its first colonel. Twenty-seven of the officers of the 24th Regt. came from this old battalion. The recruits were mustered into the service from time to time as they arrived in camp, beginning early in September, 1861. The regiment remained at Readville until Dec. 9, when it left for Annapolis, Md., where it became a part of Foster's Brigade, Burnside's Coast Division. It sailed from Annapolis Jany. 9, 1862, as a part of the Burnside expedition bound for the coast of North Carolina. Here on Feb. 8, it was engaged with loss at Roanoke Island, and again March 14, it was in action at Newbern whom it suffered severely.
In May, 1862, divisions were formed, and the 24th became a part of Stevenson's (2d) Brigade, Foster's (1st) Division. About the 20th of March the regiment made an expedition to Little Washington, and a little later another up the Neuse River. Moving again toward Little Washington, on June 5 it met the enemy at Tranter's Creek, losing 5 killed and 9 wounded. Companies B and D formed a part of the garrison of Little Washington during the siege, July 8 to Sept. 12, and were engaged with loss Sept. 6. November 1, eight companies went on the Tarboro expedition and were engaged at Rawle's Mill, Nov. 2, with low. On Nov. 12, Co. H was in action at Batchelder's Creek with loss.
The 24th took par in the Goldsboro expedition, Dec. 10 to 20, 1862, but was only engaged at Whitehall where its loss was slight. In the latter part of January, 1863, the regiment moved toward Charleston, S. C. It was in camp at St. Helena's Island, near Beaufort, S. C., through February and March, now forming a part of the 2d Brigade, lot Division, Detachment 18th Corps. On Mar. 27 it was sent to Seabrook Island, Edisto Inlet, where it remained over three months. On July 10 it was transferred to James Island in front of Charleston, S. C. and remained on this and on Morris Island until Sept. 30, seeing little combat service.
Ordered to St. Augustine, Fla., it reached there Oct. 3, and remained through the rest of the fall and the winter following. Here 416 members of the regiment re-enlisted for three years. A part of the regiment was sent to Jacksonville, Fla., where it performed provost duty from Feb. 18 to April 24, 1864, when it was sent by transport to Gloucester Point near Yorktown, Va. Here the entire regiment was reunited about May 1, and became a part of the 3d Brigade, 1st Division, 10th Corps.
It was engaged at Drewry's Bluff (also spelled Drury's Bluff), May 13-16, on the 16th having 11 men killed and 54 wounded or missing. It then moved to the north bank of the James, where it remained two months. On Aug. 14 to 16 it was heavily engaged at Deep Bottom, losing over 100 men of whom 20 were killed or mortally wounded. From Aug. 26, to Sept. 28, it was in the lines in front of Petersburg, after which it was again moved to the north side of the James, where it was in action on the Darbytown road Oct. 7 and 13. December 18 it was transferred to Bermuda Hundred and there remained until April 8, 1865, when it was sent to Richmond to do guard duty. In June, 1865, it received 172 men from the 34th Regt. and 14 from the 40th Regt., the terms of service of these regiments having expired.
The 24th remained in Richmond doing guard duty until Jany. 10, 1866, when it was mustered out of the service. Four days later it arrived in Boston for final payment and discharge. N. B. The engagement near Deep Bottom, August 16, 1864, is commonly known in the regimental annals as Deep Run.
Regiment lost during service 7 Officers and 90 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 122 Enlisted men by disease. Total 220.
Assignments
SERVICE.--Burnside's Expedition to Hatteras Inlet and Roanoke Island, N. C., January 6-February 7, 1862. Battles of Roanoke Island February 8. Expedition to Columbia March 8-9, and to New Berne, N. C., March 11-13. Battle of New Berne March 14. Guard, picket and outpost duty at New Berne until January 22, 1863. Reconnaissance toward Beaufort and Expedition to Washington March 20-21, 1862. Company "A" ordered to Washington May 1, and Company "C" to same point May 12. Action at Tranter's Creek June 5. Action at Washington September 6. Expedition from New Berne November 2-12. Rawle's Mills November 2. Demonstration on New Berne November 11. Foster's Expedition to Goldsboro December 11-20. Kinston December 14. Whitehall December 16. Goldsboro December 17. Moved from New Berne to Hilton Head, S. C., January 22-31, 1863; thence to St. Helena Island, S.C., February 9, and duty there until March 27. Moved to Seabrook Island, S.C., March 27-28, and duty there until July 6. Expedition to and operations on James Island, S.C., July 9-16. Battle of Secessionville July 16. Assault on Fort Wagner, Morris Island, S, C., July 18. (Cos. "C," "E," "F" and "I" remained at Seabrook Island until July 16.) Siege of Fort Wagner and Battery Gregg, Morris Island, July 18-September 7. Assault on Rifle Pits August 26. Capture of Forts Wagner and Gregg September 7. Moved to St. Augustine, Fla., September 30-October 4, and duty there until February, 1864. Reconnaissance to St. Johns River November 7-9, 1863. Skirmish near St. Augustine December 30 (Detachment). Veterans on furlough February to April. 1864. Non-Veterans moved to Jacksonville, Fla., February 18, and Provost duty there until April 24. Moved to Gloucester Point, Va., April 24-May 1. Butler operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Port Walthal Junction, Chester Station, May 7. Swift Creek May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Drewry's Bluff May 15-16. Bermuda Hundred line May 16-June 20. Port Walthal June 16-17. Siege operations against Petersburg and Richmond June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. At Deep Bottom June to August, 1864. Demonstration north of James July 27-28. Strawberry Plains, Deep Bottom, August 14-18. Before Petersburg August 28-September 26. Chaffin's Farm, New Market Heights, September 28-30. Darbytown and New Market Roads October 7. Reconnaissance on Darbytown Road October 13. Non-Veterans mustered out December 4, 1864. Duty at Four-Mile Church before Richmond until December 18, and at Bermuda Hundred until April 8, 1865. Guard duty at Richmond, Va., until January, 1866. Mustered out January 20, 1866.
