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May 16 8 tweets 5 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
Lloyd Tilghman, a graduate of West Point who joined the confederacy at the outbreak of the #CivilWar, died #OTD in 1863. After graduating near the bottom of the Class of 1836, he served only three months before resigning to become a railroad engineer.🧵 Image
He settled in Paducah, KY, and was still living there at the outbreak of the war. His familiarity with the area and engineering background led to his appointment to construct Fort Henry and @FortDonelsonNPS along the Tennessee River. Image
The site for Fort Henry was poorly selected, placed in a flood plain. Tilghman did not notice this until it was too late to change the location. The rising river waters led directly to the loss of the fort, as they flooded the powder magazine, disabling many of the fort’s guns. ImageImage
Tilghman surrendered with his men, and was held as a U.S. prisoner for several months at Fort Warren in Boston. He was exchanged for General John Reynolds in August, 1862, and was given command of a brigade in Earl Van Dorn’s Army of the West. ImageImageImage
The following Spring, during Ulysses Grant’s @VicksburgNPS Campaign, Tilghman was killed at The Battle of Champion Hill when he was struck in the chest by a shell. He is buried in @WoodlawnCemNY in the Bronx. ImageImageImageImage

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More from @CivilWarOTD

May 17
John Cabell Breckinridge, the 14th Vice President of the United States, who later commanded troops for the confederacy during the #CivilWar, died #OTD in 1875.🧵 Image
Born into a prominent family in Lexington, KY, in 1821, Breckinridge received a law degree from @Transy University in 1841 and opened a law practice. He left that practice in 1847, and was commissioned as a Major in the 3rd Kentucky Infantry for service in the war with Mexico. ImageImage
The unit saw no combat, but was part of the occupation force for 6 months. Upon returning to Kentucky and leaving the Army, Breckinridge entered politics, being elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1849. Image
Read 18 tweets
May 17
The Battle of Big Black River Bridge was fought #OTD in 1863. Part of General Ulysses Grant’s Vicksburg Campaign, the battle was fought as a delaying action as the confederates withdrew from their loss the day before at Champion Hill. #CivilWar🧵 ImageImage
The confederate commander, John Pemberton, ordered John Bowen to hold the east bank of the river to delay the @USArmy advance, which was led by General John McClernand’s XIII Corps. ImageImageImage
General Michael Lawler’s brigade surged forward toward the confederate works, through waist-deep water, and scattered the inexperienced rebel troops. They withdrew in disorder across a rail bridge and three steamboats that were tied to make a second bridge. ImageImage
Read 6 tweets
May 16
The Battle of Champion Hill was fought #OTD in 1863. Having captured the Mississippi capital of Jackson two days earlier, General Ulysses Grant moved his Army of the Tennessee toward the Confederate stronghold at @VicksburgNPS. #CivilWar🧵 ImageImage
The confederate theater commander, Joseph Johnston, ordered John C. Pemberton, commanding three divisions totaling 23,000 men, to attack Grant's forces near the town of Clinton. Feeling this would be disastrous, Pemberton instead set out to attack the U.S. supply trains. ImageImage
After receiving a second order to attack Grant's main body, Pemberton reversed his march, placing his own supply train in the lead. They were near Champion Hill at the time, on the Raymond-Edwards Road. He quickly ordered the ground occupied, as Grant’s force approached. ImageImage
Read 9 tweets
May 15
Private Thornsbury Bailey Brown was born #OTD in 1829, in Taylor County, VA. That part of the state largely remained loyal to the United States at the outbreak of the #CivilWar, and would become part of the new state of West Virginia in a matter of weeks.🧵 Image
A member of the Grafton Guards militia, he was returning from a recruiting rally on May 22, 1861, when he encountered 3 confederates near Fetterman. The two groups exchanged fire, and Brown was killed, becoming the first @USArmy soldier killed by enemy fire during the Civil War. Image
He was killed just a week after his 32nd birthday, and is buried in Grafton National Cemetery. ImageImage
Read 6 tweets
May 15
The Battle of New Market, VA, was fought #OTD in 1864. The engagement was part of the @USArmy’s Valley Campaigns of that year, intended to destroy the major source of supply to Robert E. Lee’s army as General Ulysses Grant engaged them north of Richmond. #CivilWar🧵 ImageImage
In command of the effort was General Franz Sigel. He was ordered to move up the Valley toward Lynchburg, which he was to seize and destroy along with its supply center and railroad. Standing in his way was a makeshift force of 4,000 confederates under John Breckinridge. ImageImage
The former Vice President of the United States decided not to wait to be attacked. Instead he elected to launch a surprise assault on Sigel’s larger force as they reached New Market. In the center of his line was a battalion comprised of the Corps of Cadets of @VMI1839. ImageImageImage
Read 6 tweets
May 15
The Battle of Drewry's Bluff was fought #OTD in 1862, south of Richmond. As part of General George McClellan's Penninsula Campaign, five @USNavy warships steamed up the James River to bombard the confederate capital. #CivilWar🧵 ImageImage
Before reaching the city, they had to deal with the confederates in Fort Darling on Drewry's Bluff, south of the city. The 8 guns there looked down upon the river and commanded the entire approach. The detachment manning them was commanded by Ebenezer Farrand and Augustus Drewry. ImageImageImageImage
The five U.S. ships were led by Commander John Rodgers, aboard his flagship, the ironclad USS Galena. Early on the morning of May 15, as the Galena approached the bluff, the confederates opened fire. Rodgers anchored the ship 600 yards from the fort and returned fire. ImageImageImageImage
Read 8 tweets

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