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

[215] Either the Nineteenth's members had not been engaged in the affair, or if they were, they returned in good season, as the Assembly was sounded from division headquarters. The crowd, however, advanced in spite of the cannon but fortunately these were not fired and before the men arrived at the tent they were induced by their officers to give up their plan and return to their camp. The corps to which these men belonged left during the night and there was no further trouble.

While on duty at the Gap, Col. Devereux was kept in the position of General Officer of the Day, and as Col. Charles Morgan, Hancock's chief of staff, was an old schoolmate, the two were much together. While on a scouting trip to the top of the Blue Ridge, the two officers, through glasses, witnessed the fight at Aldie Gap, where Stewart was put to flight by Pleasanton.

While the corps were halted at Thoroughfare Gap, it was necessary to have a picket line all around it, different regiments being selected each day. The corps was continually harassed, particularly at night, by Mosby's guerillas. Because some man on picket would get startled and imagine he saw the enemy, he would fire his gun and the whole corps would be under arms in a moment, thus depriving all the men of their sleep. On one day Gen. Hancock asked his chief of staff the number of the regiment which was to be on picket duty that night. The ‘Nineteenth Massachusetts,’ was the reply. ‘Thank God,’ said Hancock, ‘we'll have a good rest tonight. There's no fool business about that regiment.’

Stuart's cavalry came through the Gap on the 24th and outflanked Hancock, and on the 25th he started back toward Haymarket, but when Stuart interposed his cavalry the corps kept to the left to avoid an encounter which would use up time and be of no benefit. When near Haymarket, Stuart opened on the brigade with his artillery from a hill at the right, wounding a few men and causing a halt until a battery was placed in position which, opening fire on his line, soon caused him to draw off and the march was continued without molestation and in a drizzling rain which steadily increased until it fell in torrents. The regiment encamped for the night at Gum Springs. Here the brigade of four New York regiments commanded by Gen.