Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-04-19
HE sRovELEp AwAY.


in the mud and water to obtain any
protection. Night came on and the
firing still kept mp. About midnight it
was discovered that the water was
washing the earth away in front and
that it was necessary for some one 10
get over and shovel on a new covering
1T the angle in front of us, or other
wise orr protection would soon be gone
Capt. Hart. then commanding the COM
pany which lay mt that point, hesitated
to order q detail. and called for some
one TO volunteer To engage in the
dangerous work. The enterprise was
not only dangerous, but II was
one hundred chances to one that the
person attempting it would be carried
To the rear riddled with bullets. 1t
was positively certain that as soon as
the sound OF the shovel was heard, the
enemy, lying directly in front and but
a short distance away, would direct
sheir FIRE TO that spot Everyone saw
the situation and the danger, and nat
urally no one was IN haste to volun-
teer. Finally private named Lon Mock,
a man of delicate frame, who had en-
listed in Company A from Wellsboro,
fioga county, Pa, stepped 20 the front
and said, without any flourish aud as
though IL was the most ordinary affair
Of his life that he would undertake
the job. The terrible campaign of 1885,
and the dampness and malaria 90 the
Virginia swamps had told upon his
health, ant he hardly looked able 10
lift shovel, much less to undertake
the probably fatal work in hand. He
had always done his duty, but In
very unostentatious way, in no manner
distinguishing himself, and 1t was with
much surprise that his comrades saw
him step 10 The front when they bad
all hung back. He did not seem 81 be
anxious to go, and there was no air of
bravado about him. He simply es-
teemed the ct y be In tbe line Of his
duty, and If tls.t was the case il made
no difference To him whether the per-
formance was dangerous or not lie
saw. also, that the lfvee OF comrades
were al stake, and that II was ucees-
sary for some one 30 throw up
the defense that bad been washed
away ia the interest of saving
life. shovel was obtained and
Mock climte ed over the rife pit
and began his work Sure enough as
soon as the sound OF the shovel was
heard the bullets began 30 fall thick
and fast about him One struck his
shovel fair on the fat surface and sent
IL spinning out OF his hand. but be at
once picked IL up and sboveled away
again as though nothing mad happened.
Everyone held his breath expecting
every moment that Mock would be
struck and while we were crouchinr
behind the pit in comparative safety,
lie shoveled as leisurely ms though he
were digging his garden at home How
he ever escaped was mystery 10 us
all For fifteen or twenty minutes he
worked there with his back Is the
enemy under a constant and rafting
fire until the breach was repaired and
then climbed back, saying, Quietly: II
guess il is all right now. boys" and
everyone felt like hugging him Tor his
brave act Lon Mock marched no more
with Us m that campaign. Tbs result
Of hrs eSertion was severe cold and
he gradually went down 10 his grave
and survived the war bat short time.
His brave act IN front al Peters burg
has not been forgotten, however and
every spring when his comrades strew
his grave with bowers the story of his
heroism is retoh by those who person
ally knew of the action He never re-
ceived promotion, and ms heroism is
only one OF the many brave deeds done
by our volunteer soldiers which never
saw any other reward than the graft
tude Of their comrades - Pittsburgh
Chronicle Telegraph