FULL STANDING VIEW OF CONFEDERATE GENERAL LLOYD TILGHMAN

$550.00 ON HOLD

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2023-2943

CDV shows Tilghman standing facing the camera in full Confederate uniform. He wears a light-colored double-breasted coat with matching light trousers. The coat has a dark collar bearing the three stars of a colonel’s rank while the trousers have dark leg stripes. At Tilghman’s waist is his sash and sword belt with shoulder support strap and what looks to be a Model 1850 foot officer’s sword attached. He also wears a second darker strap across his chest that holds an unseen accoutrement.

Contrast and clarity are very good as is the paper and mount. Bottom center of the mount has a period ink ID that reads “TILGHMAN.”

Reverse has a photographer’s imprint for E & H. T. ANTHONY…NEW YORK. Top has the ID repeated in period pencil while the bottom has two one cent stamps.

Confederate Military History, vol. II, p. 163 gives a wordy biography of Tilghman which reads in part:

“Lloyd Tilghman was graduated at the United States military academy in 1836, and was commissioned second-lieutenant in the First Dragoons.  September 30, 1836, he resigned and took up the profession of civil engineering, becoming division engineer of the Baltimore & Susquehanna railroad in 1836-37; of the Norfolk & Wilmington canal in 1837-38; of the Eastern Shore railroad of Maryland in 1838-39; and of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad in 1839-40.

He served in the war with Mexico as volunteer aide to General Twiggs in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and was captain of the Maryland and District of Columbia battalion of volunteers in 1847-48.  He then engaged as principal assistant engineer of the Panama division of the Isthmus railroad, and was engineer on Southern railroads until 1859.

He joined the army of the Confederate States in 1861, and was commissioned brigadier-general.  In February, 1862, he was charged with the inspection of Fort Henry, one of the most important defenses on the Tennessee river, and of the neighboring Fort Donelson.  He reported defects in the location of Fort Henry, built before he took charge, which could not be remedied because of the immediate pressure of the enemy.

On the 6th of February the fort was attacked by General Grant with a force of 12,000 men, aided by General Smith with a smaller body, and seven gun-boats with an armament of 54 guns.  Tilghman had a grand total of 2,600 men not well armed, and the eleven guns of the fort.  He resolved to retire his infantry, field artillery and cavalry toward Fort Donelson, retaining a small force with the siege guns to make a stubborn fight.

The retreat was affected, notwithstanding the enemy was pushing his infantry to within a half mile of the advance work, and the gun-boat flotilla had opened fire.  The fort returned the fire with spirit and effect, disabling one of the gun-boats, but unfortunately losing a 24-pounder rifled gun by bursting, and a Columbiad by the closing of the vent.  The enemy's entire force became engaged in an advance which Tilghman saw must become successful, especially since at one o'clock only four guns remained serviceable, and the men were broken down with fatigue.

An embarrassing question now presented itself as to his duty, whether to leave his small band of heroic defenders in the fort to be surrendered and join his main command enroute to Fort Donelson, or remain and share the fate of the garrison.  Colonel Heiman, in command of the escaping force, had returned to the fort for final orders, and General Tilghman could have left with him.  But the men at the guns entreated him to stay, and the effect of his absence would have been the immediate fall of the fort, which he desired to postpone to the last moment.

His decision was made.  Colonel Heiman was directed to return to the main body, and General Tilghman took the place of an exhausted gunner and worked a 32-pounder with good effect.  Soon afterward the enemy succeeded in breaching the fort, but resistance was continued for over two hours before the white flag was hoisted, under which an honorable surrender was made of 12 officers, 66 effective men and 16 others in hospital.  In this gallant fight of a day he lost but five killed and sixteen disabled, and the entire command outside the fort was saved by his prolonged and heroic resistance.

General Tilghman was a prisoner of war until his exchange in the fall of 1862, when he rejoined the army of the West, then in north Mississippi, and was put in command of the First brigade of Loring's division.  At the battle of Corinth, Miss., he took a prominent part.

During the retreat from Holly Springs to Grenada, Tilghman's brigade was assigned the responsible position of rear guard, and repeatedly gave battle to and held in check the enemy.  Between four and five o'clock of the evening of May 16, 1863, he was killed on the battle-field of Champion's Hill.

He was in command of his brigade, consisting of the Fifteenth and Twenty-second Mississippi regiments, First Louisiana, and Rayburn's and McLendon's batteries, on the extreme right of the line.  They received the first fire of that battle, but the fight drifted to the left until after midday, when the enemy advanced in force against Loring's division, and after their first repulse threw forward a line of sharpshooters which, aided by artillery, maintained the action.

These sharpshooters occupied a row of plantation cabins near the Confederate line, and were doing destructive work, when General Tilghman directed a gun to be trained upon them.  He dismounted to give directions for sighting the piece, when a shell from the enemy exploded about fifty feet to the front, and a fragment tore through his body.  He died very soon after receiving this terrible wound, and his body was carried to the rear, and subsequently interred at Vicksburg, escorted by his personal staff and his son, Lloyd Tilghman, Jr.”    [ad] [PH:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!

Inquire About FULL STANDING VIEW OF CONFEDERATE GENERAL LLOYD TILGHMAN

For inquiries, please email us at [email protected]

featured item

EXCEPTIONALLY RARE BERDAN SHARPSHOOTER CARTRIDGE BOX

Berdan's Sharpshooters of 1862 and beyond issued this Infantry style cartridge box to accommodate the custom breechloading Sharps Rifles used by the 1st and 2nd United States Sharpshooters. This box was designed for belt carriage, negating the need… (490-7145). Learn More »

Upcoming Events

23
Dec

Learn More »

Instagram