Rock Family: Another Related Pursuit

The Rock family is also represented in the U.S. Civil War by John Rock. John is another son of Peter Rock and Mary Graver mentioned in the previous blog. John's fate was not as fortunate as his brothers. He did not survive the war. He was killed in action at the charge on Fort Gilmer just outside Richmond, VA.

John was born just twelve days before his father died in May of 1845. The Rock family was thrown into turmoil following the death of a very young 40ish Peter Rock. Most of the children were still at home when Peter died. The family was split up among neighbors of the West Earl Township community located between Akron and Brownstown. All of the children were living in individual households with neighbors. John, however, remained with his mother, Mary, as evidenced in the 1850 census where he was the only child in Mary Rock's household. In 1860, he was still living with his mother in Lancaster City. At this time, his older sister, Caroline, my Gr Gr Gr Gr Grandmother, who was recently divorced from Richard Cooper was also in the household. John, 15 years of age, was a saddlers apprentice. In just over a year from this census record, John would volunteer for service in the Union army. He claimed to be 18 years old.

After the bombardment of Fort Sumpter in April 1861, President Lincoln called for troops to volunteer for service in the union army. John's brother, Miles Rock, enlisted in June of 1861 with the 1st Pennsylvania Reserves, Co. B. They were known as the Union Guards because so many of them were members of the Union Fire Company of Lancaster.

Sixteen year old John must have also felt the call for service, but waited a couple months later than his brother. He may have been motivated by the disastorous news of the Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run just a month earlier or even by the President himself. Lincoln visited Lancaster on February 22, 1861 and gave a short speech only a few blocks from John's home. John may have wanted to support this new president when he would later call for soldiers. Or perhaps John followed his brother to the burgeoning camps being formed outside West Chester, where Miles company was drilling in preparation and saw this as his opportunity to enlist. He would have been away from his mother's eyes and possibly his actual age wouldn't be a factor if he joined further away from his hometown. Most of the men of John's company were from the Chester County area. They were the 97th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Company B, also known as the Chester County Grays. John enlisted on August 30, 1861.

(Photo Credit: Charles X. Carlson, Old Lancaster by Frederic S. Klein)

Shortly after the 1st Pennsylvania, Miles Rock's company, moved on to Washington D.C., the 97th P.V. occupied the same area known as Camp Wayne. Clothing, supplies and weapons were issued to the 97th in short order. Drilling, discipline, Sunday services, and camp life would have been the norm for John for the first few months of his time at Camp Wayne. One soldier stationed at Camp Wayne described the daily life.

“The military duties daily are as follows: roll call at 5 o’clock, A.M.; drill from 5½ to 8½; between 9 and 12; between 2 o’clock P.M. until 4; dress parade, at present, at 6½ P.M., after which the various camp amusements commence, ball playing, music, vocal and instrumental, sparring, shows and serenades, or to use the language of the ‘boys,’ ‘the circus we have joined for three years is open.’ At 9½ o’clock P.M. roll call, and at 10 the lights are extinguished, and quietness in their bunks is enjoined.”

(Source: Lancaster Examiner Newspaper)

On November 12, 1861 the regiment recieved its stand of colors from the visiting Governor Curtain. Four days later, the 97th regiment had orders to leave Camp Wayne. In the early morning of November 16th John marched with his company through the main streets of West Chester with the crowds waving from the sidewalks and windows bidding them farewell. The regiment boarded trains and passed through the countryside heading to West Philadelphia where they would have lunch at the Cooper Shop Refreshment Saloon, at Otsego Street and Washington Avenue. By 5:30 that evening they were back aboard trains headed to Washington D.C.  With stops at Wilmington Delaware they arrived in Baltimore, Maryland at 5:30 AM on November 17th. They finally arrived in Washington D.C. at 3:30 PM on November 17th. They marched from the depot to their camp a half a mile north of the Capitol building.

A view of the U.S. Capitol Building in 1861.

I imagine this was John's first trip to these major cities across the eastern seaboard. His mind must have been jumbled with thoughts of home and of his fate as a soldier. He wouldn't have had much time to ponder his lot, for on November 20th the regiment was ordered to pack up and move out. They boarded trains at the depot and went back to Baltimore. The purpose this time however was to board another form of transportation. They arrived in Baltimore at 11 PM and spent the night at the depot in that city. The next morning John's portion of the regiment boarded the steamship, Georgiana, and sailed for Fortress Monroe, Virginia. On the 22nd of November company B set up camp about half way between Fort Monroe and the town of Hampton. Here they would hear the drum beats of the enemy rebels for the first time.

Fort Monroe, Virginia view of moat.

Sources: U.S. Federal Census Records 1850 and 1860, History of the Ninety-Seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers by Isaiah Price, Old Lancaster by Frederic S. Klein, Military Pension Records of Miles Rock and John Peter Rock.