History of the 24th Ohio Infantry Regiment's Battleflags

In January 1862, Colonel Jacob Ammen wrote his wife in Brown County, Ohio, to ask a very big favor. Would Mrs. Ammen please travel to Cincinnati to obtain a regulation regimental color pattern flag for his 24th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment? The national color pattern flag, which the regiment's volunteers had used to this point in the war, had been a non-regulation merino wool flag. Lieutenant Dewitt Clinton Wadsworth's wife and three neighbors in Erie County, Ohio, had rushed to complete the flag before the county's volunteers had left to join the other companies for training at New Camp Jackson, later known as Camp Chase. The wool flag had done good service, but Colonel Ammen now believed that honor called for a regimental flag as well. By February, 1862, the silk regimental colors had arrived, and Colonel Ammen presented the new flag to Major Albert S. Hall during the regiment's afternoon dress parade.

Late in April, 1862, members of the 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, impressed with the cool courage of their brother regiment at the Battle of Shiloh, took up a collection to purchase a regulation national color pattern silk flag for the 24th OVI. The flag arrived from the Cincinnati depot in May, 1862, and Major General William "Bull" Nelson presented the flag to the regiment. A few weeks later, a dispatch in a Cincinnati newspaper announced that the 24th OVI's new national flag was the first to enter the Confederate works at Corinth, Mississippi, a fitting baptism of the new flags.

At least twelve color bearers carried these two flags for the remaining two years of service. The wear of service, including many bullet holes, can be seen through these honorable flags.

Following their war service, the silk flags were retired and displayed in the "relic room," also known as the rotunda in the Ohio State House. On a few occasions, the flags were used in special anniversary celebrations and parades, evoking many proud memories of Civil War service. But Father Time has worn down these proud banners....

View the Regimental Colors and the National Colors pattern battleflags as they appear on the Ohio Historical Society's website.

Click here to see what needs to be done to preserve the 24th OVI's colors.

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