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

The night of the 16th was spent in quietness. On the 17th there was very heavy firing in front all day. Flags of truce were sent out twice. The night passed as did the previous one. At 4 P. M. of the 18th, the right being heavily engaged, the enemy opened fire with artillery and the men were placed in readiness to repel any advance which might be made. At 9 P. M. the command took ground to the left, which brought it in proximity to the river, when the regiment, together with the Twentieth Massachusetts, were detailed to throw up works, which occupied the night.

During the day and night of the 19th it rained incessantly and nothing of importance transpired in the immediate vicinity, beyond that the enemy was observed to have strengthened his position.

At dusk of the 20th they received orders to retrace steps toward Petersburg. The night being very dark and a heavy rain falling, contributed to make the march of 20 miles in the highest degree laborious. At midnight of the 20th the regiment crossed the Appomattox on pontoons and arrived in camp at 9 A. M. on the 21st. Notwithstanding the small strength of the regiment, it performed a considerable share of the picket and fatigue duties incidental to the expedition and in the charge of the 14th, the majority of the recruits, who had never been under fire before, behaved in a manner which exceeded expectation.

On arriving in front of Petersburg, again the little brigade immediately moved up to the support of the Fifth Corps, which had again been engaged with the enemy and had lost heavily. The regiment lay in support until the evening of the 23rd, when it started for Ream's Station on the Welden Railroad, and upon arrival at the depot, the regiment occupied for a short time the works upon the north side, when it was ordered out as skirmishers to protect the front of the remainder of the brigade (four regiments) which, under the command of Colonel Rice, was engaged in destroying, in a more complete manner, railroad property, etc., which had been but partially damaged by the cavalry. Toward evening the