Wood-Lucas County OhArchives Obituaries.....Wood, Mark July 11, 1866
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Karen Pate karana@aggienetwork.com November 7, 2013, 11:50 am

The Weekly Perrysburg Journal.  Perrysburg, Wood County, Ohio. Jul 20, 1866, p. 3.
Died.

	Wednesday morning, July 11, 1866, of pulmonary consumption, at the 
residence of Mr. Benjamin Rhodes, in Toledo, Mark Wood, First Lieutenant 21st 
Regiment, O.V.I.  He was aged 27 years, and was a native of Egginton, 
Derbyshire, England.

	Obituary.

	A correspond of the Toledo Blade furnishes that paper with the 
following sketch of this brave soldier's services in the War of the Rebellion:

	Notice of the young officer's disease has already appeared, but certain 
interesting circumstances in the last part of his life seem to demand more 
particular mention.

	Coming to the United States about eight years since, Mr. Wood resided 
for the most part in the West, and latterly at Tontogany, Wood County, Ohio.  
His parents reside at Germantown, Pa.  On the organization of the 21st Regiment 
O.V.I., Mr. Wood was a private in Co. C., Captain A. McMahon.  This regiment 
was in more than thirty battles, and at Chickamauga some 240 of its brave boys 
lay dead, dying or wounded.  Promoted for gallantry at Stone River, Corporal 
Wood was one of the noble 21 volunteers detached by General O.M. Mitchell to 
sever the rebel communications at Corinth, miss.  With their life in their 
hands, they plunged deep into the rebel country, and striking the Chattanooga 
and Atlanta R.R. at Big Shanty, near Kenesaw Mountain, they seized the express 
train, while the officers and passengers were at breakfast, and sought to 
escape to our lines, burning bridges and tearing up he track in places behind 
them.  But they were overtaken, captured and imprisoned at Atlanta.  Eight of 
their number were hung as spies, but the remainder either escaped or were 
exchanged. Corporal Wood was one of those who, after repeatedly breaking out 
and being reimprisoned in various starvation-pens and dungeons, finally 
escaped.  Wandering two months in the swamps, his food for the most part being 
roots and nuts, he reached our fleet in Appalachicola Bay.  He was taken to Key 
West and thence to Washington, D.C., where Secretary Stanton received him with 
marked cordiality and honor as did his comrade, Brown, who had reached our 
lines sometime before.  Among other rewards, the survivors of the valorous band 
were to receive medals and commissions in the regular service.  These were the 
first medals given during the war, the first of which was bestowed upon him who 
received one hundred lashes rather than disclose the secrets of their 
expedition.  They were also promised promotion to the first vacancies in their 
companies.  Corporal Wood returned to his regiment; participated in the bloody 
battle of Chickamauga, being twice wounded in the right arm; was successively 
promoted to the 2d and 1st Lieutenancy in his company; and, after due 
examination, was finally honorably discharged because of his wounds and the 
diseased state of his lungs, caused by rebel cruelty in the Southern slaughter-
pens.  He returned to his home in Wood County, but soon after came to reside 
with Mr. Rhodes, who, in consideration of his inability to support himself, his 
failing health, and their long and eventful service together, offered him a 
home in his family.  His parents urged him to come to Pennsylvania, but, as is 
usually the case with consumptives, he flattered himself with the hope of 
recovery.  It was, however, otherwise ordered.  Clad in the uniform he never 
disgraced, and his coffin wrapped with the dear flag he had so proudly and 
bravely sustained, he was yesterday followed to his last earthly resting place 
by a few mourning friends and members of Rubicon and Toledo Lodges of Free and 
Accepted Mason, of which Order he was a worthy member, and there, with the 
beautiful and impressive Masonic burial service, his remains were tearfully 
entombed.

	Sentiments of bitterness and revenge should not be mingled with sorrow 
for the dead; yet it is difficult to contemplate such sacrifices for patriotism 
and loyalty, and reflect upon the indiscriminate pardons and extremely kind 
treatment bestowed upon those who sought to destroy the country for which our 
noble boys imperiled their all, without feeling deeply aggrieved and displeased.

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