The regiment was quickly thrown into battle, confronting General Braxton Bragg and his Army of Mississippi, which had marched to the vicinity of Louisville as part of the Confederate offensive to seize control of Kentucky. They met the Confederates at the nearby town of Perryville, Kentucky, where they engaged in the Battle of Perryville on October 8, 1862. The 24th Wisconsin was held in reserve for most of the battle, but in the late afternoon was ordered to engage and pursued the enemy as they fled the field. They continued the pursuit of the fleeing Confederates until October 15, when they were ordered to abandon pursuit and turn back to the west, moving into Tennessee and going into camp near Nashville on November 22.