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

[23] or merciless slaughter. Col. Cogswell, of the Tammany troops, ordered the men to throw their guns into the river and escape as they could. Some refused to flee further and stood upon the bluff, loading and firing, until they were shot down. As one rebel officer afterward said: ‘Fewer of the Massachusetts officers would have been killed, if they had not been too proud to surrender.’ Col. Devens of the Fifteenth Massachusetts explained in his report that ‘under the circumstances, he would have surrendered to a foreign foe, but to traitors and rebels, never!’

The hurrying crowd of the broken ranks, rushing into the stream and clamoring into the single scow that formed the only communication with the Virginia shore and the island, and could carry but thirty people, swamped it in a moment, and many were drowned as it went down. The loss of this boat rendered any further passage by this means impossible, as the little life boat which had previously been used had fallen into the hands of the rebels.

Col. Devens swam across the river, despite his wound, and Lieut. John P. Reynolds, Jr. assisted him up the bank. Some strong swimmers, divesting themselves of most of their clothing, succeeded in reaching the island, while some secured boards and logs, but the shots from above fell incessantly upon them and large numbers were wounded or killed. Col. Cogswell, of the Forty-Second New York and Col. Lee of the Twentieth Massachusetts were captured.

There was a farmhouse on the island, directly in the line of transit, and this was at once turned into a hospital, every room being occupied by the wounded.

In consequence of the shooting of wounded men by the enemy on the bluff, Col. Hinks, who retained command of the troops on the island, determined to do something to stop it. Lieut. Reynolds was detailed, with 16 men, to proceed under cover of the darkness to the front of the island, dig a number of holes,—like post holes,—throw up the dirt as an embankment in front and drop a man into each, to fire across the river and thus protect, as far as possible, the retreat of the wounded.