Bio: Orrin Brock, born 1842 : Pittsfield, Merrimack County, New Hampshire

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Submitted by: Rick Giirtman rickman@worldpath.net
Date: March 9, 2001
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From the Book
'History of Pittsfield, N. H. in the Rebellion'
by H. L. Robinson, published 1893


ORRIN   BROCK.
In 1861, John Clark had a checkerberry distillery near where Berry brook
crosses the road. The people in this vicinity when they had nothing else to
do would pick checkerberry leaves and sell them to the old man. In this way
they would earn very fair wages. On the morning of April 21, 1861, while at
breakfast, Orrin Brock learned that a recruiting office had been opened at
Concord and he determined to enlist ; so, as soon as he had finished his
meal, he took his basket and bag, ostensibly to pick checkerberry leaves.
He went behind his father's blacksmith shop and hid his basket under the
sling, then, making a detour through the pastures, he entered the village,
where he found a friend of his, H. M. Gordon. After a short conversation,
they started for Concord on foot. When part way to the city they were
overtaken by J. O. Tasker, who, as soon as he learned their destination,
took them into his wagon and carried them the rest of their journey. They at
once enlisted. There had been but very few enlistments in the state up to
that time, and Brock was the first man accepted from this town.

He was born in Barnstead, December 13, 1842, a son of Stephen and Lydia A.
(Lee) Brock; and moved with his parents to Pittsfield in 1846. Besides
attending school he was employed as a hostler, being a great lover of
horses.

When he enlisted the intention was that he and his comrade should go in the
First New Hampshire, but owing to some misunderstanding, which it is
needless to explain here, he was mustered into Co. E, of the Second
regiment, at Portsmouth June 3, 1861, as a corporal. The regiment soon left
for Washington and were encamped on Capitol hill. They composed a part of
the brigade under the command of General Burnside at the first battle, of
Bull Run and covered the retreat. After reaching Washington they were sent
to Bladensbnrg, Md., and then to Budd's Ferry on the lower Potomac. They
took part in the Peninsular campaign and the siege of Yorktown, and were in
the battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862. At this battle Brock was wounded
by the explosion of a shell. His company were on the skirmish line, and had
advanced as far as they could when they were ordered to lie down. Brock was
on a brush heap behind a tall stump, when a shell exploded near him. A piece
flew, striking him and injuring the muscles of the arm so that it has been
crooked ever since; another piece struck his finger, cutting it off". This
was near Fort Macgruder. They had silenced the guns in their front, but this
shell came from a long distance to their right.

Twenty days later, June 25, 1862, Brock took part in the battle of Fair
Oaks. June 27, he was at the battle of Savage Station; the next day, at
Peach Orchard; on June 30, at Glendale ; July 1, at the first battle of
Malvern Hill ; on August 5, at the second battle of Malvern Hill, and on
August 27 at Bristow Station. By this time his regiment had become so
reduced that they were given a chance to recruit, and Brock was promoted to
the rank of sergeant. The next regular battle in which he was engaged was at
Drury's Bluff, from May 14 to May 16, 1864.

He had already reenlisted in the field, January 1, 1864. A year later his
long exposure had begun to tell on his strong constitution, and he was
discharged February 17, 1865, for disability contracted in the service. At
that time he weighed scarcely 100 pounds.

At Yorktown, when General McClellan was sending up a balloon to observe what
the enemy was doing, the rebels commenced to fire at it, and one of the
shells struck the ground, killing ten of Brock's company. All of these were
standing near him. When the rebels began to evacuate Yorktown, Brock, who
was hiding behind a tree, stepped out to see what was going on. There was
considerable firing, and Orrin thought he would get into cover. He had but
just stepped aside, when a ball struck the tree where he had been standing.

His present home is on Catamount street in this village.