Waitt, Ernest Linden, History of the Nineteenth regiment, Massachusetts volunteer infantry , 1861-1865

[253] their conduct, under circumstances the most trying to soldiers. Their backs were to the foe, the enemy was close upon them, using canister upon us. (I lost a large percentage of my men, shot in the back.) I was between them and the enemy, directing their movements, and their line never wavered but once, when the fire on my right flank was too heavy for men to bear. But one single command from my lips and they moved as steadily as before, until we met the front line of the Fifth Corps coming up most opportunely to the rescue of the situation, when we passed through, halted and again faced to the front by the side of Mallon's Forty-Second New York. I consider no men could have been put to a severer test of true courage, thorough discipline and absolute confidence in themselves and their officers, and this regiment should receive credit for it. I marched them back in this order, unable to tell how Mallon had reached the old ground, totally unaware of the arrival of the Fifth Corps, and not knowing but that I might find myself with the only organized force on the field at that point—believing it my duty to sacrifice all of us, if necessary, to secure that end.

After nightfall the two regiments marched back to the position they had left the afternoon previous, but finding the gap filled in the front line, took position in the rear of Rorty's battery, the most convenient place for use in case of need.

During the next forenoon our lines at that point were not engaged. About 1 o'clock in the afternoon General Lee opened with his artillery, which we noticed he had been massing so as to bring a concentric fire on that portion of our line. For two hours the cannonade was incessant, and we knew, of course, that it was to be followed by an infantry assault. All the infantry were lying down and suffered comparatively little from the enemy's fire, but our batteries suffered severely. Rorty's battery, behind which I lay, lost all of its officers and many men, and for the last hour of the cannonade I manned the battery with men from my own regiment, bringing ammunition from the caissons and furnishing all the help possible from the infantry troops. After cessation of the cannonade, and with a clump of small oaks as the objective point, General Pickett's Division, as was afterward ascertained, was pushed forward to capture that point, then held by General Alex. S. Webb and Colonel N. J. Hall. Both were forced back and our line cut in two.

There were no troops to support the single front line except myself. Unable to do anything actively because of our troops in front, and receiving no order, but watching an opportunity to be of service, I was about to move when General Hancock came riding up, as he always did when the commander's presence was needed, and as he rushed past the left of our line I halted him, and pointed out how completely our line was broken at that point, and asked permission to put my troops in there. I was told to ‘get in quick.’ Colonel Mallon was near me, and I ordered him to put his regiment in on the double-quick, and put my own