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Historian Hopes To Get Headstones For Three Illinois Brothers Who Fought In Civil War

WBBM's Steve Miller

(CBS) -- This weekend, as the nation honors the men and women who gave their lives in military service, a Fox Valley historian is trying to find someone to honor one of the most extraordinary band of brothers to ever serve the United States.

WBBM's Steve Miller reports.

The six Mitchell brothers: Henry, Anthony, William, George, Robert and Samuel. All were in the Civil War at the same time. All were in Illinois regiments, fighting for the Union.

"And then to have them all in the same battle? That's amazing," says Stephenie Todd, a historian in the Fox Valley.

The battle was the Battle of Shiloh, in Tennessee. One brother, George, died there.

And the surviving brothers were at the Battle of Raymond in Mississippi.

Todd says three of the Mitchell brothers are buried at a cemetery in Kendall County that's classified as abandoned.

She's hoping someone or some organization will help get proper headstones for the Mitchell brothers.

"Right now it looks like it's all brush and trees," Todd says of the site.

 

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