Col. Henry A. Morrow was in command of the 24th Michigan. After the battle of Chancellorsville, the 24th received Hardee hats. They were the largest regiment of the Iron Brigade containing approximately 765 soldiers and officers. As they approached McPherson’s Ridge, they rushed forward towards the Confederates that were moving towards Willoughby Run. What outcomes would the regiment face over the next few hours?
While the 24th fought on the left side of the Iron Brigade, and their Corps commander was killed by a Confederate sharpshooter, their fellow soldiers from the 2nd Wisconsin captured Confederate general James Archer from the 2nd Brigade of Heth’s Division. As the fighting continued in the morning, it slowly diminished by Noon and continued to be just skirmish fire through 2 p.m.
In the afternoon, the 24th Michigan showed the amount of men that were left after the morning fight. During the afternoon, 28 officers and 468 soldiers went into the battle. Of these numbers, by the end of the fighting on July 1st, 22 officers were killed and wounded, and 71 killed and 223 wounded soldiers.
However, looking at the numbers from above, one would say “How much worse could it have been”? Well, in the 24th Michigan regiment, the worse did happen. The entire color guard who directed the troops to where and when they had to be placed, were killed or wounded. All of the color bearers were killed:
- Color Sergeant Abel Peck – Killed during the morning battle
- Corporal Charles Bellore – Killed during the afternoon battle
- Company K, Private August Earnest – Killed during the afternoon battle
- Company F, Coporal Andrew Wagner – Wounded in the chest
- Colonel Henry Morrow – Wounded in the head in the afternoon – captured in town during retreat
- Company E, Private William Kelly – Wounded in the afternoon
- Company K, Private Lilburn A. Spairdling – Wounded in the afternoon
In the end, Captain Edwards was in charge of the flag, and left the field of battle with it. The 24th Michigan flag had 23 bullet holes through it, and the staff was splintered. They had to strap a few belt straps together to keep the staff combined.