24th Infantry Regiment was organized at Meridian, Mississippi, during the fall of 1861 with eleven companies. Its members were recruited in the counties of Hancock, Clay, Lowndes, Chickasaw, Kemper, Choctaw, and Monroe. It moved to Florida, returned to Mississippi, and took part in the siege of Corinth. After serving in Kentucky, it was assigned to General Walthall's and Brantly's Brigade, Army of Tennessee. The 24th participated in many battles from Murfreesboro to Atlanta, endured Hood's winter operations in Tennessee, and saw action in North Carolina. It sustained 116 casualties at Murfreesboro, 132 at Chickamauga, and 189 at Chattanooga. For a time it was consolidated with the 27th Regiment and in December, 1863, totalled 491 men and 354 arms. At Resaca the unit lost 24 killed and 28 wounded, and at Ezra Church the 24th/27th had 11 killed and 67 wounded and missing of the 430 engaged. About 25 men were present at the surrender. The field officers were Colonels William F. Dowd, Robert P. McKelvaie, and R.W. Williamson; Lieutenant Colonels Clifton Dancy and William L. Lyles; and Majors George M. Govan and William C. Staples.