Capt. Joshua Littlefield Somersworth's First Hero

Grand Army of the Republic - Downtown Somersworth

“Proud past, bright future” is the motto you'll hear bantered about from time to time in Somersworth, a slogan that even adorns the local High School, yet how many actually know about Somersworth's past?

As Somersworth's newest and probably first, self appointed historian I'll attempt to tell the stories of the city that has forgotten its past.

If you’re looking for a chronological history, sorry it isn't going to happen, to much of the personal would be left out.

What you have here is a mixture of stories, personal histories of mostly unknown residents, and events that combined to create what today we call Somersworth.

Without further ado let’s begin our historic journey back to the year 1889, a brick and mortar year when the Grand Army of the Republic building would rise in downtown Somersworth cementing together the brotherly bonds of fraternalism.

After the end of Civil War, fraternal organizations were formed for veterans to network and maintain connections with each other. A perfect fit for Somersworth, a once cotton town, where a large amount of its population served in the Army of the North.

Many of the veterans used their shared experiences as a basis for fellowship.

Groups of men began joining together, first for camaraderie and later for political power, strength in numbers.

Emerging as one of the most influential among the various organizations was the Grand Army of the Republic, founded on April 6, 1866, on the principles of "Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty," in Decatur, Illinois. A perfect fit for many of the fraternal organizations that were similar design, Freemasonry, Odd-fellows etc., all of which mutually embraced brotherly love.

Little did they realize when they were building what was to become known as the GAR in downtown Somersworth that the organization had already celebrated its heyday and its numbers were on a slow downward slide, a slide that would last another sixty years when the final GAR member would die and the fraternity dissolved. Although the GAR had dissolved the Free and Accepted Masons of Libanus Lodge found themselves at home on the top floor of the building for many years to come.

Before the demise of the Grand Army of the Republic the Post in Somersworth could be considered the meeting place of those who had helped form the city, and those who would influence its future direction.

Allow me to introduce you to the Somersworth resident the Post was dedicated to and named after, Capt. Joshua Littlefield.

Joshua Littlefield

Joshua Littlefield lived atop of the hill in Somersworth, a builder/carpenter by trade he built and worked on many of the houses upon the hill, his still standing humbly at the corner of Mt. Vernon and Grand.

April 1861, shots were fired at Fort Sumter; the War Between the States had begun.

It should be remembered that Somersworth was a town that revolved around the mill, a cotton mill. The War Between the States would adversely affect life in Somersworth. Without Southern cotton every aspect of Somersworth would suffer.

Joshua enlisted in the Union Army the 27th of May 1861.

Although Joshua was in his early forties he lied and said his age to be 32 when he enlisted.

One can only assume that Joshua knew that most of the recruits were an average of twenty years younger and he did not want to be considered the old man of the group.

Quickly those of rank realized his maturity and promoted him to Lieutenant within a couple of weeks of his enlistment, a wise decision for those who saw a potential leader. By August of his first year he was promoted to the rank of Captain.

On the evening of August 28th 1861 Capt. Littlefield was told of his transfer to the 11th NH and subsequent promotion to Lt. Col., a rank he would never see.

Disregarding his order of transfer Capt. Littlefield chooses to ride with his present Company into a planned battle the next day.

The 29th of August 61, the Second Battle of Bull Run began. Capt. Littlefield led his Company in a charge over a heavily fortified railroad, a trap where the Confederates lay in waiting on three sides, a gauntlet of lead.

The battle was a disaster for Joshua, receiving three severe wounds he would lay dying ever so slowly on a battlefield that both sides would eventually retreat from.

Lying severely wounded with no food, no water, the hot day of the battle turned into a cold night of mourning and screaming. Hundreds of the critically wounded lay crying and praying aloud. The fortunate died the first night.

With both sides in full retreat the wounded were left to fend for themselves, or die.

Days brought on the heat and thirst, nights the cold and hunger.

They were abandoned for almost a week.

Eventually both sides returned to the battle field not to resume the fight but to bury the dead. It was during this battlefield burial the body Capt. Joshua Littlefield was discovered and found to be alive. Hanging on by a thread he was rushed to a Union Hospital only to meet his own death on the 17th of September.

He was accorded one of the grandest burial services in Forest Glade Cemetery. It was told that all the business in town closed down, schools shut there doors, and a Brigade Band from Strafford County played while Somersworth's returning hero was buried with all military honors.