Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-03-17

In the mud and water to obtain any
protection. Night came on and the
firing still kept up. About midnight it
was discovered that the water was
washing the earth away in front and
chat it was necessary for some one to
get over and shovel on new covering
at the angle in front of us, or other
wise our protection would soon be gone
Capt. Hart, then commanding the COM
pany which lay at that point, hesitated
to order a detail, and called for some
one to volunteer to engage in the
dangerous work. The enterprise was
not only dangerous, but it was
ono 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
their fire TO that spot Everyone saw
the situation and the danger and nat
urally no one was N haste to volun-
teer. Finally private named Lon Mock,
a man of delicate frame, who had en-
listed in Company A from Wellsboro,
Tioga county, Pa, stepped to the front
and said, without any flourish and as
though it was the most ordinary affair
of his life, that he would undertake
the job. Tie terrible campaign of 1864
and the dampness and malaria of the
Virginia swamps had told upon his
health, and he hardly looked able to
lift shovel, much less to undertake
the probably fatal work in hand. He
had always done his duty, but in n
very transformations way, in no manner
distinguishing himself, and it was with
much surprise that his comrades saw
him step to the front when they had
all hung back. He did not seem to be
anxious to go, and there was no air of
bravado about him. He simply es-
teemed the act to be in the line of his
duty, and if that was the case it made
no difference to him whether the per-
formance was dangerous or not He
saw, also, that the lives of comrades
were at stake, and that it was neces-
sary for some one to throw up
the defense that had been washed
away in the interest of saving
life. A shovel was obtained and
Mock climbed over the rine pit
and began his work Sure enough, as
soon as the sound of the shovel was
heard the bullets began to fall thick
and fast about him. One struck his
shovel fair on the fat surface and sent
it spinning out of his hand, but he at
once picked it up and shoveled away
again as though nothing had happened.
Everyone held his breath. expecting
every moment that Mock would be
struck, and while we were crouching
behind the pit in comparative safety,
he shoveled as leisurely us though he
Were digging his garden at home. How
he ever escaped was a mystery to us
all For fifteen or twenty minutes he
worked there with his back to the
enemy under a constant and rafting
fire until the breach was repaired. and
then climbed back, saying, quietly: 81
guess 1t is all right now, boys" and
everyone felt like hugging him for his
brave act Lon Mock marched no more
with us in that campaign. The result
of his exertion was severe cold, and
he gradually went down to his grave
and survived the war but short time.
His brave act in front of Peters burg
has not been forgotten, however, and
every spring when his comrades strew
his grave with flowers the story of his
heroism is retold by those who person
ally knew of the action. He never re-
ceived promotion, and his 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.