The Ninth left the State Sept. 24, 1861, and in the next month sailed from Fort Monroe for Hilton Head, S.C. The year 1862 was spent in garrison duty at Fernandina, Fla.; in January, 1863, it returned to Hilton Head, where it remained on picket duty until June; then it joined the forces operating in Charleston Harbor. Led by Colonel Emery, it participated in the assault of Strong's Brigade on Fort Wagner, and in the opening fight on Morris Island captured two of the enemy's flags. During the Siege of Fort Wagner its casualties, in the assaults and in the trenches, amounted to 189 in killed, wounded, and missing. In October, 1863, the regiment moved to Black Island, S.C. While there, 416 of the original members reenlisted and received their furlough. On April 18, 1864, the Ninth proceeded to Gloucester Point, Va, where it was assigned to Ames's Division, Tenth Corps. Ascending the James River, the troops landed at Bermuda Hundred, and advanced immediately on the enemy's lines. Severe fighting followed, and in the battle of May 20th, the casualties in the regiment were 9 killed, 39 wounded, and 4 missing. At Cold Harbor, having been transferred to the Eighteenth Corps, it joined in the assault with a loss of 12 killed, 55 wounded, and 5 missing. While in the trenches before Petersburg, on June 30th, 1864, in an affair on the picket line, there was a loss of 7 killed, 34 wounded, and 5 missing, out of 102 who went into the fight. The loss at Deep Bottom was 5 killed, 21 wounded, and 29 missing. Only 201 were present for duty when ordered to Chaffin's Farm; in that battle, Lieutenant-Colonel Gray fell at the head of the regiment.