Lloyd
Tilghman was born at Rich Neck Manor in Claiborne, Maryland January 18th
1816, the son of James and Ann C (Shoemaker) Tilghman. He received an appointment to West Point
Military Academy, graduating in 1836 near the bottom of his class. Tilghman was commissioned second lieutenant
in 1st United States Dragoons.
He resigned after three months of service. Tilghman went to work in Panama and areas of
the south constructing a number of railroads.
He settled in Paducah, Kentucky.
After the
Civil War began Tilghman joined the Confederacy and became the Colonel of the 3rd
Kentucky Infantry. He was promoted to
Brigadier General on October 18th 1861. Tilghman took on the engineering work of
building Fort Henry and Fort Donelson.
He didn’t choose the location for the forts which he stated in his
report were in a “wretched military position”.
Tilghman was captured February 6th 1862 when Fort Henry fell
to Union General Ulysses S Grant, and was sent to Fort Warren in Boston, Massachusetts
as a POW. He was exchanged August 15th
1862 for Union General John F Reynolds.
Tilghman returned in the fall and took command of a brigade in
Confederate General Earl Van Dorn’s Army of the West. He commanded artillery at the Second Battle
of Corinth.
Tilghman was
hit by a shell fragment and killed May 16th 1863 at the Battle of
Champion Hill. He is buried in the
Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City.
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