This soldier was charged with “riotous conduct” and sentenced to 30 days with ball and chain. His pension application has very little personal information beyond his birthplace — Onslow County, North Carolina. Documents related to his court-martial are included in his Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR)
— Compiled military service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served with the United States Colored Troops [microform]: 1st through 5th United States Colored Cavalry, 5th Massachusetts Cavalry (Colored), 6th United States Colored Cavalry (1997). Reel 0011 – 1st United States Colored Cavalry: Bomer, James – Cartwright, John (online at http://www.archive.org/details/compiledmili0002akesunit). Brock’s CMSR can be viewed at n581-n605.
Invalid — 1,110,037 / —–
Court-Martial Proceedings, Henry Brock, 28 March 1865
Special Order No. 20
A Garrison Court Martial is hereby appointed to meet at the quarters of Captain C.N. Emerson 1st U.S.C. Cavy at ten a.m. on the 29th day of March 1865 or as soon thereafter as practicable for the trial of Private Willis Harris, Co. E. 1st U.S.C. Cavy and such other prisoners as may be brought before it.
Detail for the Court:
Capt. C.N. Emerson , 1st U.S.C. Cavy
Capt. Thos. Cunningham, 38th New Jersey Vols.
1st Lieut. [illegible] 38th New Jersey Vols. ….”
“Private Henry Brock, Comp. E, 1st U.S.C. Cavy, case against on the following charge and specification:
Charge – Riotous Conduct
Specification: In this that said Priv. Henry Brock … when by Lieut. G.B. Bergen, A Prov Marshal of the Post to go to his quarter and not to loaf around the Post Hospital, refuse to do so and say “I have come in the army to die and I will just as soon die here as to leave” or words to that effect, and did not leave until arrested by the guard and put in the guardhouse.
“All this at Fort Powhatan, Va. on or about the 24th day of March 1865
“To which charge & specification the prisoner pleaded — Not Guilty:
“Private John McCleary, Comp. E, 1st U.S.C. Cavy, a witness for the prosecution being duly sworn answers:
Q by J. Adv: Was the prisoner with you at the hospital on the evening you were put in the guardhouse?
Answer: Yes Sir.
Q by J. Adv: Was the prisoner there when the Provost Marshal came and ordered you away?
Answer: Yes Sir.
Q by J. Adv: Did you hear the prisoner say anything to the Provost Marshall?
Answer: The prisoner said he would just as well die there as anywhere else.
Q by J. Adv: Did he go away when the Provost Marshal ordered him away?
Answer: No Sir.
Q by J. Adv: Did the PRovost Marshal order him away?
Answer: Yes Sir he ordered us all away
Q by Prisoner: Did you hear him tell those words to the Provost Marshal?
Answer: Yes, sir. …
“After mature deliberation the Court do find the prisoner Private Henry Brock, Comp. E, 1st U.S.C. Cavy as follows:
— of the Specification — Guilty except the words ‘put in the guardhouse”
— of the Charge — Guilty
and do therefore sentence him [Brock] to forfeit to the U.S> one month pay and to be confined at hard labor with ball and chain for the period of thirty (30) days.”
Declaration for Invalid Pension, Henry Brock, 6 May 1892
45 years old; residence, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Va.; post-office address, 11 Talbot St., Norfolk, Va. … Also personally appeared A.J. Brown, residing at Norfolk, and G.L. Pryor, residing at Norfolk …”
Military Record, Henry Brock, 9 June 1892 [U.S. Pension Bureau stamp]
birthplace: Onslow, North Carolina … occupation, farmer
1st U.S. Colored Cavalry 