ROCK, FREDERICK (15 Feb. 1840-8 Nov. 1924) Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for service during the CIVIL WAR, was born in Meisenheim, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany, emigrated to the United States with his parents in 1846 and settled in Cleveland. Rock moved to Canada prior to 1860 to farm but returned to Cleveland where he enlisted in the 37th Ohio Volunteer Infantry 18 Aug. 1861. During General Grant's campaign to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi, Private Rock volunteered with 149 others on 22 May 1863 to storm an enemy position at Fort Pemberton outside the city. Although the attack failed, Rock along with the others were recommended to receive the Medal of Honor by the divisional commander. Subsequently, he left his regiment without authorization and was carried as a deserter from 28 April 1864 until his discharge at Camp Cleveland 7 August 1865.
Rock remained in Cleveland working as a laborer and watchman until 1875. He was living in Tampa, Florida 14 Aug. 1894 when the Medal of Honor was given to all members of the Vicksburg Storming Party. Rock received his Medal although as a deserter, he was denied an invalid pension by the War Department. He died at age 84 and was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Tampa with his wife, Mary, who had preceded him in death.