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

The trains, loaded with ammunition, forage and rations, were pushed with all possible speed toward the James River, the the army all the while keeping itself between them and the enemy. The troops moved until they came up with these trains, then formed line of battle, beat back the enemy each day, thus allowing the trains to get a good distance ahead. Then, under cover of the night, the Army pushed on, leaving behind the dead and wounded. The surgeons heroically remained at their work with them and many were thus made prisoners of war.

At 9 P. M., taking the Corduroy Road, the regiment began to move through the tangled ravine of White Oaks Swamp, and in the darkness the progress was very slow; a few rods or a few feet into the inky darkness, and then a halt; a few rods more and then another stop. Here and there, fastened to the trees, were flickering candles. Staff officers were frequently seen giving directions to the struggling forces.

At three o'clock in the morning the regiment crossed White Oaks Run and was ordered to take a little rest. The stragglers were gathered in, line was formed, but the rest was of very brief duration and when daylight appeared the last of the swamp was left behind. The regiment halted on high ground and rations were served.

About 7 A. M. the bridge over Cedar Swamp Creek was destroyed and the march resumed. The sun was extremely hot and as the light rain of the night before had ceased at daybreak, the roads were soon as dry and dusty as ever. At about noon the regiment filed into a field on the left of the road at Nelson's Farm, or Glendale and remained closed in mass until about 4 P. M., the men watching the wagon trains as they passed in their hurry to reach Malvern Hill. During this time General McCall's troops from McDowell's department filed into the field.

At about 4 P. M. heavy firing from both artillery and infantry was heard in the direction from which the regiment had come. When the last struggling wagon had passed, the Nineteenth was again in motion, but this time it went back over the road to the swamp, in the direction of the firing. The stream of wagon trains and artillery had powdered the clayey