Manchester NH’s Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient: Sgt. Henry F.W. Little (1842-1907)

Photograph of Henry F.W. Little during wartime, from “The
Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion,” by Henry F.W. Little.

Henry F. W. Little (June 27, 1842 – February 7, 1907) was a Sergeant in the 7th New Hampshire Infantry, Union Army, and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the American Civil War. The citation reads as follows:

The President of the United States of America, [then Ulysses S. Grant] in the name of Congress,takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Henry F. W. Little, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on September, 1864, while serving with Company D, 7th New Hampshire Infantry, in action at Richmond, Virginia, for gallantry on the skirmish line.
General Orders: Date of Issue: January 14, 1870
Action Date: September, 1864
Service: Army
Rank: Sergeant
Company: Company D
Division: 7th New Hampshire Infantry

In 1896, Henry F.W. Little published a history of his regiment under the title The Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion. Rank and organization in which he presented a history of his regiment with photographs.

In an order published at “Headquarters Department of Virginia and North Carolina, Army

Photograph of Henry F.W. Little in peace time, from “The Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion,” by Henry F.W. Little.

from “The
Seventh Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers in the War of the Rebellion,” by Henry F.W. Little.

of the James,” dated “Before Richmond, October 11, 1864,” and signed by “Maj. Gen. B.F. Butler, commanding the Department of Virginia and North Carolina,” contained the names of the following comrades of the old Seventh, who were honorably mentioned for gallant and meritorious services in the field and for coolness and bravery before the enemy: [including]: “Sergt. Henry F.W. Little, of Company D, Seventh New Hampshire, for gallantry on the skirmish line on the reconnaissance toward Richmond, is recommended to the secretary of war for a medal of honor, and is appointed first lieutenant in [the Fourth] United States Colored Troops. ”   As a result, Second Lieut. Henry F.W. Little, of Company E., was promoted to first lieutenant in the Fourth U.S. Colored Troops, to date from October 7, 1864.

Henry F.W. Little returned to Manchester after the war, and spent most of the remainder of his life there (except for a short while in Iowa). He married twice, and had several children as shown below.  He was a carpenter by trade, and served Manchester NH both as a justice of the peace, and as a representative from Ward 3 in 1888.  He was a member of the Louis Bell Post 3, Manchester G.A.R. Henry F.W. Little died 8 Feb 1907 in Manchester NH, age 64 years and is buried in Valley Cemetery (along with his second wife).

[Editor’s Note: This article is one of several I have written at the request of Don Pinard, Department of Public Works, Chief of Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Division, City of Manchester, New Hampshire.  It is a volunteer project (on my part) to better record and share the stories of the men memorialized by the city’s “Military Squares.”  All the information specifically within the body of this project is shared copyright free with the City of Manchester and its representatives, with the exception of photographs provided by family or friends who still retain whatever rights conveyed to them by law.]

======PARTIAL GENEALOGY of Henry F.W. Little=====

Joseph Little was one of the original proprietors of Weathersfield Vt in 1761.

Peter Little, son of ?, was b. 31 December 1780 in Weathersfield, Windsor Co. VT, and d. 24 February 1830; He married 23 Feb 1805 to Mary Carpenter, dau of Amos & Elizabeth “Betsy” (Lane) Carpenter. She was born 20 June 1784 in Westminster, Windham VT and died 18 April 1848 in Derby VT. She is buried Uttin Cemetery
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Children of Peter & Mary “Polly” (Carpenter) Little:
1. Morris Little
2. Guy Little, b abt 1805-1806 Canada; in 1870 living in Lancaster, Erie Co. NY
3. Lucretia Little, b abt 1807 Stanstead PQ; d. 2 March 1876 in VT; m. — Badger
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XF86-19Z
4. +Henry F. Little, b. 30 Jan 1809 in Derby, Orleans Co. VT
5. Arnold Little
6. Mary Little
7. Dan K. Little
8. Joel Little
9. Joshua Little
10. Clarissa Little
11. Orrin C. Little
12. Osman Little
13. Joel S. Little
14. Cyrus P. Little

 Henry F. Little, son of Peter and Mary/Polly (Carpenter) Little, was b. 30 Jan 1809 in Derby, Orleans Co. VT and d. 22 November 1870 in Manchester NH, age 58. He married 1st) in Hanover NH to Mary W. Fletcher. She b abt 1815 and d. 27 Dec 1846 in Manchester NH, age 31 of consumption. He married 2nd) 4 July 1847 in Nashville (Nashua) NH to Nancy M. Cockran/Cochran. She was b. in Pembroke NH and d. –;. He married 3rd) 25 Dec 1865 in Manchester NH to Mrs. Lucy Humphrey-Junkins, dau of Josiah & Lydia (?) Humphrey (both widows). She was b. 13 August 1817 in Vershire, Orange, Vermont.
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1850 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
Henry F. Little M 38 Vermont
Nancy M. Little F 37 NH
Henry F.W. Little M 8 NH
James T.M. Little M 6 NH
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1860 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
Henry F. Little M 48 VT
Nancy M C Little 38 NH
Henry F W Little M 18 NH
James M.F. Little M 15 NH
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1870 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
Henry F. Little 58
Lucy H. Little 58
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Children of Henry F. & Mary W. (Fletcher) Little:
1. +Henry F.W. Little, b 27 June 1842 Manchester NH
2. James M.F. (or M.T.) Little, b abt 1845 Manchester NH; in 1860 age 16 living with Matthew & Dorothy Gault and family in Hooksett NH; [possibly the James Little who enlisted in 22nd Mass Infantry during Civil War. ]

Henry F.W. Little, son of Henry F. & Mary W. (Fletcher) Little, b. 27 June 1842 in Manchester NH and d 8 Feb 1907 in Manchester NH, age 64 years. He married 4 November 1865 in Manchester NH to Helen Flint, daughter of Alvin & Orinda (Peck) Flint. She b. 22 May 1846 in Williamstown VT and d. –. At the time of their marriage Henry was a painter and Helen was a teacher. He married 2nd) 6 April 1874 in Manchester NH to his first wife’s sister, Mrs. Mary E. Flint Bennett, dau of Calvin & Orinda (Peck) Flint. She was b. 22 Feb 1841 in Williamstown VT and d. 14 March 1913 in Manchester NH. At his death he was living at 64 Concord Street. He and his 2nd wife are buried in Valley Cemetery in Manchester NH. In 1899 Henry F.W. Little was by occupation a carpenter and builder similar to his father.  He was at one time a justice of the peace in Manchester. In 1888 the New Hampshire Patriot newspaper shows that he served that year as representative to the legislature from Manchester NH’s Ward 3. [He is the subject of this blog post, see top of page for military history].
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1870 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester
Little, Henry F.W> 27 M W Carpenter NH
Little, Hellen 24 F W keeping House VT
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1880 US Census > Iowa > Poweshiek > Grinnell
Little, Henry W M 38 Farming NH
Little, Mary W F 38 wife Keeping House VT
Little, Florence W F 9 dau NH
Little, Mattie H W F 6 dau NH
Little, Gertie M W F 4 dau Iowa
Little, Maud F W F 9/12 Sep dau Iowa
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1900 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 385 Bridge Street
Little, Henry F Head W M June 1848 51 married at age 21 NH VT NH carpenter
Little, Mary L. wife W F Feb 1841 59 married at age 21 4 ch 4 liing VT VT VT
Little, Florence O dau W F Sept 1870 29 single NH
Little, Mattie dau W F March 1875 25 single NH
Little, Gertrude M. dau W F May 1877 23 single Iowa NH VT
Little, Maud E dau W F Sep 1879 2 single Iowa NH VT
Little, Frank H. son W M May 1880 19 single Iowa NH VT
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1910 US Census > NH > Hillsborough > Manchester > 608 Hall Street
Little, Mary F. Head F W 69 widow 4 ch 4 living VT VT VT
Little, Mattie daughter F W34 single NH NH VT
Little Gertrude daughter F W 32 single Iowa NH VT
Little Frank son W M 28 single Iowa NH VT locomotive works
Little Hazel, granddaughter F W 7 single NH NH NH
Little, Fred lodger M W 17 single NH don’t know, don’t know shoe factory
Little, Florence, step dau F W 41 single NH NH VT
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Child of Henry F.W. & Helen (Flint) Little:
1. Florence O. Little, b. 29 Dec 1870 Manchester NH; died 18 March 1914 Manchester NH; buried Pine Grove Cemetery
Children of Henry F.W. & Mary (Flint) Little:
2. Helen Mattie Little, b March 1875 Manchester NH, died 15 October 1942 in Goffstown (Grasmere) NH; m. 25 Sep 1901 in Manchester NH to Almon Shepard Dowling, son of Almon S. & Lillian (Nichols) Dowling. He was b. 23 September 1880 in Bradford NH. By 1920 they divorced.
3. Eva Maud Little, b.15 Sep 1879 Grinelle, Iowa; d. 19 Jan 1912 Manchester NH; m. Maurice S. Willey and had resided in Grinelle, Iowa. She is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery Manchester NH.
4. Frank H. Little, b. 19 May 1880 Iowa; In 1945 he filled out his WW2 registration card stating he was living at Corning Road Manchester, and was working for the W.P.A. Navy Yard in Portsmouth NH.
*5. Fred Oscar Little, b 8 March 1893 Manchester NH; m. 5 April 1915 in Manchester NH to Bertha M. Zussy, dau of Emil E. & Eugenie (Lieby) Zussy. At the time of his marriage, his occupation was shoemaker. He registered for both WW1 and WW2.  [PLEASE NOTE: I can find no evidence that Fred Oscar Little is the son of Henry and Mary (Flint) Little though he states this on his marriage record. In the 1910 census the then 17 year old Fred is shown as a “lodger” with his parent’s birthplaces unknown, while all the other children, and stepchild are clearly identified.  For now this relationship remains a mystery.]

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