The Tragedy of the Corn Exchange Regiment
While Warren and Sykes completed their withdrawal a staff officer approached Barnes, who was placing his regiments as directed, and announced that the enemy was advancing in heavy force. Barnes, apparently believing that this required immediate action to slow the enemy advance turned to Col. Prevost, who was riding along side, and asked if he could gain the summit of the bluff. Col Prevost accepted the challenge and led the portion of his regiment, the 118th Pennsylvania, which had completed the crossing up a small path to the summit, while Barnes returned to the river and urged the rest of the regiment forward. When the regiment topped the bluff they were presented with a clear view across the open fields. Prevost selected company E as skirmishers and had the rest of the regiment form a battle line for their inaugural combat experience. The regiment had been fielded only twenty days prior.
Lieutenants Hunterson and Lewis led the skirmishers forward, but after advancing only a short distance they were greeted by a heavy fire from the advancing masses. They were almost instantly pushed back into the main line, which was also being reinforced by the soldiers pushed forward by Barnes. About half the regiment was on hand when they became hotly engaged with the Confederate line. Seeing the developing situation the acting assistant adjutant-general of the brigade, Lieutenant Davis, called to the closest officer he could find, Lieutenant Kelly, "tell Colonel Prevost, Colonel Barnes directs that he withdraw his regiment at once." Kelly relayed this message to his company commander, Captain Bankson. Bankson, in turn, found Colonel Prevost and advised him of the order. Despite the obviously dangerous situation Prevost, either by inexperience or strict adherence to military protocol, announced he would not obey an order received in this manner. He demanded that the order to withdraw come directly to him from Barnes’ aide.
Prevost continued pushing his men into line as they came to the crest even as his men were falling in droves. One survivor remembered “from the beginning the fire of the enemy was tremendous; the rush of bullets was like a whirlwind. The slaughter was appalling; men dropped by the dozens.” Still the men completed the alignment and “stood up handsomely against a dozen times their number.” Compounding the already deadly equation was the fact that the regiment had been issued faulty weapons. Fully a quarter would not fire at all while others failed after but a few rounds.
When the Confederate line closed in panic began to strike the men as they realized the helplessness of their position. Being over lapped by the enemy line on the right caused Prevost to move the two right companies into position to face the new threat. The remainder of the hard pressed line, believing this movement was the beginning of a withdrawal began to fall back in disorder. Sensing a loss of control Prevost seized the colors and rallied the center back into position. He was rewarded for his efforts with a severe wound to his shoulder. He was escorted from the field and command fell to Lieutenant-Colonel James Gwyn. On his way to medical attention Prevost was met by Barnes who asked why his order to retire was not obeyed. Prevost stated that he had never received them. Barnes assured him that a new order would be issued.
Instead of ordering the clearly needed retreat Gywn gathered 200 men and charged the approaching line, many of the men with nothing but bayonets with which to fight. The effort was met with a withering blast of musketry and fell back. Fortunately, as Gywn attempted to continue the uneven fight a staff officer, Adjutant James P. Perot*, from brigade appeared and ordered them to safety. This time there was no refusal.
The trip down the bluff proved every bit eventful as the trip up. As they retreated “in wild confusion” the crest and mill building were occupied by Confederates who fired at the retreating Federals from these advantageous points. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. And again friendly fire from short fused artillery rounds began to play on the regimental survivors. At long last the colors were borne across the dam by Private William Hummell, of Company D and the ordeal was over. Recalling the episode in his formal report A.P. Hill stated “the broad surface of the Potomac was blue with the floating bodies of our foe.” Gywn’s after action report echoed the enormity of the loss. Of 737 men present 277** had fallen dead, wounded, or missing.
*For his effort Perot was wounded and taken prisoner.
** The total was later revised to 269 K, W, and M