history

The 24th Michigans history in Gettysburg is a bad one. On July 1st Heths division, Pettigrewss large brigade in particular, led the attack on the 24th Michigan and absorbed the punishment generously applied by the 24th Michigan.The 24th Michigan lost 363 men of the 496 engaged in the days fight. R.Root a private in the 24th Michigan wrote this to his grand father."July 1st. Memorable Wednesday morning we was ordered to march and on we went till the crack of muskets and roar of cannon brought us to a halt.But it was not long before on we went on come up to the enemy without our guns being loaded and they volly after volly into our ranks, one of which br'ot out noble color bearer down. yet on we went and at the same time loading our guns and coming into line.And then charge on them was the order and we charged and captured their whole line of battle, or most of it. I don't know the number of prisoners but they was all marched off to the rear and kept safe.So far we had won the day but it cost us many lives of whom one was our Major General Reynolds and others that I have no time to mention.We now fell back a short distance and lay in the woods [Herbst Woods ] about 3 hours but there was skirmishing in the front the time. And at about 4 p.m. we saw the Rebs coming in force with three lines of battle to our one and we was shamefully ordered to stand them withoue support either troops or cannon. Thus we stood in line and fired for full 20 minutes while they had three lines firing into ours. After we was all cut up they ordered a retreat of which was done in some confusion and but few got back without a scratch and many nat at all. Very truely your obedient Grand Son R.Root