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

During the time occupied in ferrying the different commands to the island, the various regiments stood in line on the tow path, awaiting their turn. The Fifteenth Massachusetts, First California, Twentieth Massachusetts and some others had already crossed. The battle was in progress, and wounded and dead men filled the places of the living as the scows returned for a new load. Standing thus, inactive, it was a sickening sight to see men with their heads, arms and legs tied up in bloody bandages and hear the groans of the poor fellows as they were helped out and slowly moved along the front of the regiments. The sight of the body of a soldier who had been killed, and the presence of so many wounded, had a disheartening effect upon many.

Instinctively there was a hush along the entire line, and hats were raised as the body of Gen. Baker, covered with an American flag, was tenderly lifted out of the scow and slowly borne along the front. This incident had almost a demoralizing effect, but the command to ‘Pile in lively, boys’ occupied the attention at once and the men of the Nineteenth jumped into the scow and hauled it over to the island, just at dusk, Company F, being the left flank company, was the last to cross, and the sight of Gen. Baker's body had so angered the men that as they poled their boat over, they sang with vigor, ‘We'll hang Jeff Davis to a Sour Apple Tree.’

The regiment marched in line across the island at sunset, just in time to see the worsted Union forces, hotly pursued, flying in disorder down the opposite bank, and at once took a stand where they could aid in repelling the advance of the enemy.

The scene of carnage there witnessed cannot adequately be described. The men were just in time to see a little 12-pounder, which had been carried up on to the bluff, spiked and tumbled over the cliff into the river. It had done valiant work, but all except two of its crew had been killed or disabled and in no other way than by destroying it could the seeing men save it from falling into the hands of the confederates. The exultant cries of the foe rose above all the other uproar of battle as the Union men were pushed back to the brink of the bluff and nothing remained, apparently, but surrender