Marshall Bills

Marcellus John Bills was born in Romulus in 1843 to Ira Bills. Throughout his short life, he seems to have gone by the name Marshall rather than the more unconventional "Marcellus". Ira Bills had a brother, Alvah Bills who lived nearby and who had a son, Charles, who was about the same age as Marshall. The two cousins grew up together and seem to have been very close.

Caught up in the great patriot fervor that swep the area in the summer of 1862, the two boys left the farm and went off to war. They enlisted in company H, August 13, 1862 at Detroit. Marshall Bills was 18. Company H was mustered into service on August 13, 1862.

Not very much is known about Marshall Bills service. He was promoted to corporal, and appointed to the color guard in early May 1864, in recognition of his excellent service . He was not to serve in this capacity for very long.

The State Adjutant General's records list Marshall Bills as "missing in action at Jericho Ford, Virginia., May 23, 1864. No further Record." In fact, he was captured by the confederates, during the action at Jericho Ford (also known as North Anna). He was held temporarily at one of the Richmond area prisons for about a week. Eventually he was taken to Andersonville, where he died on November 15, 1864. His war records state he died of starvation and exposure. His remains probably are interred in the National Cemetery at Andersonville.

These are the flags that Marshall Bills was appointed to guard. Each has a leather tag indicating that it was carried by the Regiment in action from the Wilderness through Dabney's Mill.

Marshall's duties as a color guard would have been to prevent the capture of these flags and to pick them up should the color bearer (a sergeant) be hit, or otherwise incapacitated.

These flags were the second set to be carried by the 24th Michigan. A third set of colors was presented to the regiment after their arrival at Camp Butler, Springfield Illinois, in the Spring of 1865.

The blue "Regimental" flag has recently been professional conserved thanks to the efforts of Save Our Flags and the Michigan Capitol Commission.

Flag Photographs Courtesy of the Michigan Capitol Commission, Peter Glendinning Photographer.
Marcellus John Bills Photograph Courtesy of Carolyn Gabrielli

Descendants:

R. C. Bills (email not given)

Carolyn Gabrielli, robert.gabrielli@att.net