Monument to honor Civil War Sacrifice of 6 Brothers

The “last full measure of devotion” was given by the Littleton brothers more than 150 years ago, when all six died fighting for the Union during the Civil War. That story began in 1840 when James and Martha Littleton arrived in Louisa County, according to Jake Shoppa of Columbus Junction. Shoppa, a descendant of Permelia Littleton, one of four sisters who survived the brothers, said the parents died before the war and never knew their sons died from the war. “Within months of the Civil War (start), John, 31; Thomas, 25; William, 24; Kendall, 19; and Noah, 16, enlisted in the Iowa infantry. George, 31, living in Illinois, enlisted there,” Shoppa said. Kendall died in battle at Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on Dec. 7, 1862. John died from wounds sustained in the same battle a few days later. Noah, who survived the battle, drowned in a Missouri river about one month later. George, who had been captured in Virginia and then paroled, reportedly died in December 1862. William fought in several battles, but died from disease in a St. Louis hospital in December 1863. Thomas also fought in several battles and was captured at Missionary Ridge, Tennessee and sent to the infamous Andersonville prison, where he died on Jun. 16, 1864. “The Civil War ended 10 months later, but only the boys’ sisters, Permelia, Mary, Sarah and Rebecca would remain to mourn them and take pride in their sacrifice they made to our country and for our freedom."