Types of Successful Men of Texas
George W. Littlefield

Austin.

George W. Littlefield, son of Fleming and Mildred T. Littlefield, was born in Panola county, Mississippi, June 21st, 1842. His father was a native of Tennessee; his mother of the State of Georgia. She was a Miss Mildred T. Satterwhite, and married first to John H. White, by whom she had six children, five boys and one girl. Mr. White died in 1838; she in 1841, married Fleming Litlefield [sic] who was a cotton planter, and he immigrated to Texas in the fall of 1850, settling on the Guadalupe river, about 15 miles above the town of Gonzales, where he put under cultivation several hundred acres of rich valley land. Fleming and Mildred T. Littlefield had four children, George being the oldest, then Mildred M., who married Thoe. E. Harral, then Fleming, who died in infancy, and William P., who is now a resident of New Mexico.

When the family settled in Gonzales county, it was a new country and settlements were confined almost entirely to the river valleys; schools were scare [sic], and his father employed a gentleman to teach his own and his step-children. In February, 1853, his father died with pneumonia after an illness of several weeks, and was buried as a Royal Arch Mason in the family burial ground on the plantation. His mother continued the cotton planting business, adding to her estate every year, she being recognized as an excellent business woman, and continued to increase her property as well as that of her children up to the breaking out of the war in 1861, from which time to the close of the war her home was ever open to the Confederate soldier, contributing every way possible to the Confederate cause, and at the close of the war she had liberated 200 slaves. George was put into school at Gonzales when twelve years old, where he continued until he was fourteen. He then entered Baylor University at Independence, Washington county.

He only remained ten months in that school, having to return home in 1858 to assist his mother in the management of some business, in which he showed obedience, energy and industry. He was out of school over twelve months when he again entered under Prof. A. A. Brook, at Gonzales, but pursuing his studies only for a short while, stopped school like a great many young men, thinking he had education enough. This he has often regretted, as his education was a simple English course, and not at all thorough. He remained on his mother's plantation assisting her in every way she required his services up to the breaking out of the war. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Captain Isham G. Jones' Company, B. F. Terry's Regiment; after organization known as Company I, Eighth Texas Cavalry, but better known as Terry's Texas Rangers. He was then nineteen years old. In the organization of the company he was elected Second Sergeant. The regiment was ordered to join General Albert Sydney Johnson's army at Boling Green, Kentucky, and was a part of the army of the Tennessee to the latter part of the war, when it operated in Georgia, North and South Carolina to the close of the struggle. In February, 1862, the First Lieutenant of Company I resigned his office on account of his health. The Second Lieutenant was elected to be First, and Littlefield was elected to the office of Second Lieutenant, which was just upon the leaving of Kentucky by the Army of the Tennessee. He commanded his company on the retreat from Boling Green, Kentucky, to Corinth, Mississippi, and led them through the battle of Shiloh. After the battle his company was found to have lost one-third of its men that were actually in the fight. His Captain and First Lieutenant obtained leave of absence at Nashville, Tennessee, going to Texas. The Captain never being able to return to duty as he was a sufferer from consumption, he resigned his office. In May, after the battle of Shiloh, the First Lieutenant was elected Captain and Littlefield was elected First Lieutenant, and ten days later Captain Harris was killed, and Littlefield was then elected Captain of his company. It was with reluctance that he consented for his comrades to elect him Captain, as he was next to the youngest man in the company. He was not quite twenty years old. There was in the company aged men, and men of wealth and influence; but he was elected Captain by acclamation. He served with his comrades through many battles and skirmishes untill [sic] called to act in a higher office. Was on the raid General Bragg made into Kentucky, in the fall of 1862; engaged in the battle of Woodsonville, Kentucky, and continuing until the front of Bragg's army was near to Louisville. He was detailed to take eight companies made up from the brigade to reconnoiter near Louisville. When he arrived within about four miles of the city he encountered the advance cavalry of General Buell's army, moving towards the Confederate lines, after a light skirmish, falling back on the main Confederate force which was cut off and had to charge a large force of the enemy's cavalry to get within their main lines. General John A. Wharton was in command, and at once ordered the Texans to charge with revolvers in hand. The result was a complete victory for the Texans. They captured about 800 of the enemy, Captain Littlefield was separated from his command in the mixed up fight; he and three rangers following a bunch of Ohio cavalry, and killed and captured ten men and tour commissioned officers. On returning to the command they were charged upon by a command of the enemy's cavalry, and they recaptured these prisoners, but Littlefield and the three rangers made a successful run, reaching their command late that night. Every day it was fight, skirmish and fall back, until finally the enemy crowded up, and it was then the hot fight was fought on the battle-field of Perryville. From noon up to 10 o'clock at night, fighting. There the rangers were to the front, and lay in line of battle all night, it sleeting and so cold. Parched corn was good that night, for the rangers had not a meal during the day. Next day they moved out towards Cumberland Gap, the army carrying with it many supplies for which the raid was chiefly made. Near Knoxville, Tennessee, November 1862, three officers were ordered to Texas to get recruits; Captain Littlefield was one of them. He was to report to his command within ninety days. When he returned to Gonzales, he found men very scarce. The war was well on and patriotism was not so rampant as in August, 1861. However he succeeded in getting a few to join him, and he returned to his command about February 15, near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. While in Texas he was married to Miss Alice P. Tiller, step-daughter of Mr. Whitfield Harral, on the 14th day of January, 1863, in the city of Houston.

He bid fond wife and dear mother good-bye within three weeks after marriage, in order to join his command before his orders required him. The next battle was Chicamauga, September, 1863, which was a grand success for the Confederates. The night after the battle he was detailed to report to division headquarters of cavalry, commanded by General Joe Wheeler. There he was put in command of six companies, made up from the brigade, and ordered to move back over the battle-field on the north side of Chicamauga creek, to get possession and guard a ford some fifteen miles up the creek, to get possession and guard a ford some fifteen miles up the creek, as it was known that a brigade of the enemy's cavalry had been cut off with a supply train during the day's fighting, and was somewhere up the creek between that and the mountain range, a short distance away. He was to hold that ford and send out a scouting party to locate the enemy.

The ride from division headquarters back over the battlefield was something never to be forgotten. The moon shone brightly sweet to enjoy, had it not been on one of the hardest fought fields of the war. A dreary ride at the head of the column, over the field of the dead and dying; the prayer of the conscious and death rattle from the throats of the blue and the grey, could be heard as they lay mingled on the bloody field. The gloom that clouds one's mind under such circumstances shadows the whole soul, and you could hear along the line, rough looking, but soft-hearted men say, "Order me into battle, but send me no more over the field of such a hard fought fight." Having orders to cross to the south side of Chicamauga creek at a ford some three miles below the one to be guarded, it was known that Colonel Avery's Georgia regiment was on duty there, and to make his videttes understand that we were not the enemy, was necessary. Their fire was drawn without injury; the videttes evidently thinking the enemy was on them. But finally we were understood to be friends, and allowed to pass, moving up and taking possession of the ford ordered to secure, sending forward at once a scouting party to find the enemy. About daylight a courier hurried in, saying that they were coming towards our ford. General Wheeler had dispatched General John Wharton up the north side of the creek with his brigade of cavalry, who came upon the enemy about 10 a. m., but not until a detachment of the enemy had made an effort to force their way over the ford Littlefield was guarding. It was an interesting little skirmish across the Chicamauga, kept up until General Wharton's force fell heavily upon them, capturing over 300 prisoners and all the supply train the brigade had. The rest of the enemy fled over the mountain towards Will's valley. Immediately after the battle of Chicamauga, the Rangers were ordered with General Wheeler on a raid, crossing the Tennessee by ford fifty miles above Chattanooga, and passing over into Middle Tennessee; crossing the Tennessee river again at Elkhorn, seventy-five miles below Chattanooga, coming back over that same Chicamauga battle-field within ten piles and wagon loads of ammunition was burned that was en route to General Rosencrans' army at Chattanooga. The Rangers returned from that raid very much fatigued, as they had to ride almost night and day. But they were the best dressed regiment in the Confederate army, as they had found suttler's stores in every village and town, and they appropriated everything they wanted in way of clothing. This raid circled the enemy at Chattanooga. Afterwards engaging in the battle of Lookout Mountain, and then in front of General Longstreet's army which was pushing General Burnside towards Knoxville, Tennessee, the East Tennessee campaign, not a day but what fighting and skirmishing was carried on. On the 26th day of December, 1863, Captain Littlefield was wounded by a piece of shell while acting as Major of his regiment. The shell exploded near him, and a piece striking a cartridge box on his pistol belt on left side, exploded the cartridges, passing through the left hip, driving a number of the pistol balls into the hip, making a wound 11x9 inches the hip, and completely tearing away the flesh from his hip joint. He was immediately picked up where he had fallen from his horse, and conveyed to an ambulance that moved four miles to the rear. He was wounded about 3 p. m., but not until 10 o'clock that night could his would be dressed. The Division Surgeon first said "just give a little morphine, he would die before morning," passing out to amputate the leg of another ranger. About that time W. H. Kyle, Captain Littlefield's old orderly sergeant, came in with a bottle of apple brandy, and General Tom Harrison appeared fresh from the battle-field with sleet and snow covering his hat and overcoat, for it was bitter cold, looking like a little of that brandy would warm him up. Captain Littlefield called him to where he was lying on the floor, to join him in a drink. The General drank a toast wishing a speedy recovery. Littlefield said he would drink to Major Holmes, the Division Surgeon, who had said he would die before morning. When the General exclaimed "Why, did he say that!" and at once went for the Surgeon and ordered the wound dressed.

The enemy was advancing and the wounded had to be moved. Before daylight a twelve mile ride was made to a farm house. The next day orders came to go farther back, so in the ambulance again, and fifteen miles drive to where a true Southern family lived. There he lay almost unconscious for three weeks, kept alive on morphine and brandy. General Harrison was very kind, allowing Ed. Rhodes, a member of Company I, to stay with Captain Littlefield all the while, and he and old Nathan, the colored body servant, gave him all the care possible. The kind good ladies of the house gave him all the attention they could. His comrades who visited him gave him up, but he surprised them by worrying through. In the following April the army moved toward West Virginia, and Littlefield had to be put on a cot and moved to Morristown, then from there to Abington, Virginia, where he remained until he was able to hobble around on crutches. About June 1st he and Ed. Rhodes and servant went into camp of the rangers at or near Dalton, Georgia. There he was given a furlough for sixty days. He and servant spent the time in Alabama with one of his relatives. At the expiration of his furlough he was still unable for duty, and the Surgeon advised him to retire from the army. He forwarded his resignation to army headquarters at Richmond, Virginia, and it was accepted. He and servant started for Texas, on horseback, he carrying his crutches. They arrived at Gonzales, Texas, about the last of September, 1864. October 4th he took possession of a plantation belonging to himself and a brother. He went to work to make the best, as he though, of a miserable life, having to carry his crutches everywhere.

In the year 1865 a bountiful crop was made. The ending of the war and death of the Confederate cause cast a shadow over the hearts of the people. In 1866 he commenced a small mercantile business on his mother's plantation and increased it every year up to 1868. In 1869 and 1870 there was an overflow of the San Marcos and Guadalupe rivers, which completely inundated and washed away most of the crops of the valley, leaving but little to pay the many debts incurred. In the spring of 1871, he, being unable to continue the farm business, gathered up what cattle he could find belonging to himself and brother, and bought others on time, drove the heard to Abilene, Kansas, sold out, and within ninety days was back at home with the proceeds, paying up the debts he owed. That fall he commenced the mercantile business in the town of Gonzales as a partner of J. C. Dilworth, who was his friend from boyhood and comrade during the war. Their capital was about $8000 together in the business. In the spring of 1872 they bought two herds of cattle, on time, and drove them to northern markets, paying for the greater part during the summer in goods; Littlefield giving his attention to the cattle, while Dilworth attended to the mercantile interests. This co-partnership was continued up to the fall of 1877, Dilworth dying May 17, 1877. They had realized handsome fortunes in their transactions together. Littlefield continued the cattle business by himself, though he often had a partner in special deals, meeting with success every year, adding more to his capital.

In 1877 he stocked a range in Oldham county, Texas, and in 1881 sold it to a Scotch company for $253,000, realizing a very handsome profit on it. The next year, in February, he established a ranch on the Pecos river, in Lincoln county, New Mexico, where he now owns a herd of well improved cattle, about 40,000 head. He has three nephews interested with him in his cattle business, always feeling that if they had an interest better profits would be realized. In addition to his New Mexico cattle interest he owns a fenced pasture in Mason county, of 35,000 acres, on which are 4000 head of cattle. His other properties are scattered over the State in lands and mortgages. His property is estimated to be worth about $500,000, which he has accumulated since 1871. He moved from Gonzales to Austin in 1883, where he now lives. He had two children, a boy and girl, both dying in infancy. His mother died of heart disease on the 8th of June, 1880, at Gonzales.

Littlefield has always been a Democrat. He is a Knights Templar Mason, and is attached to Gonzalez Commandery No. 11, Texas. Does not belong to any church, but he attends and adheres to the Southern Presbyterians. He is true to his friends, and many young men who had worked for him, are made well off by his advice and assistance. His family at large look upon him with greatest affection, as he has educated and started in life thirteen nephews and nieces, and now has eleven others in school, giving each niece a home or the money to pay for one, when they marry; and as his nephews get old enough establishes them in business.

He weighs 178 pounds, is 5 feet 7 inches high; ruddy complexion, grey eyes, hair and beard dark. Of a cheerful disposition and fond of the company of his friends.

Daniell, L. E. Types of Successful Men of Texas. Published by author, Austin, Texas 1890. Page 341-344.