Kentucky’s Civil War leaders…
Brave, gallant Tilghman was local hero
to those in his adopted city of Paducah

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the 23rd in a series about Kentucky’s officers and battle leaders during the Civil War.)

Although not a native Kentuckian, Lloyd Tilghman will forever be remembered in Paducah as a devoted, brave and gallant Confederate and staunch supporter of the McCracken County community.

A native of Claiborne, Md., Tilghman was graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1836, but resigned his commission shortly thereafter to enter the civilian engineering field. He was employed as a railroad construction engineer from 1837-45, but returned to serve in the army during the Mexican War. He served as a captain and helped build fortifications and commanded a light six-gun artillery battery.

After the war, he returned to his railroad engineering role and, in 1852, moved his family to Paducah where he was employed with the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.

In December 1860, Tilghman joined the Kentucky State Guard, which became one of the best state militia organizations in the United States. With the outbreak of the Civil War, he and his Third Kentucky Infantry joined the Confederacy.

Tilghman was commissioned colonel of the Third Kentucky Infantry on July 5, 1861, and was promoted to brigadier general on Oct. 18.

The General was sent to Forts Henry and Donelson in February 1862 to fortify  their defenses, but both forts were not properly equipped and in terrible condition. Tilghman built rifle pits, earthen works and secured approaches to both locations, but was aware that they could not be held against Union troops who were better armed.

Tilghman was captured and held in a Federal prison at Fort Warren (Mass.). He was released in August of ’62 and returned to the Confederacy, equipping the men released with him into artillery, infantry and cavalry units.

The General’s last battle was at Champion’s Hill (May 1863) in the Vicksburg Campaign where he was killed by an artillery shell fragment that nearly cut him in half. He died at age 47 and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in New York City.

Paducah Tilghman High School, named in honor of the General, formerly was named in honor of his wife, Augusta. The Lloyd Tilghman House and Civil War Museum is located at the Tilghman homestead in Paducah.