William S. Tilton
William Stowell Tilton (February 1, 1828 – March 23, 1889) was an American businessman and soldier who led a regiment, and occasionally a brigade, in the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. He and his men were heavily engaged in the Battle of Gettysburg, where Tilton's performance created controversy.
Early life
William Tilton was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He was educated in the local schools. He was a manufacturer and merchant in the years before the war.
Civil War
Tilton enlisted in the army and became a
Tilton was made colonel of the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry on October 17, leading the regiment at the Battle of Fredericksburg. In 1863, Tilton continued leading the regiment in the First Brigade, First Division, under Barnes, who had recently become a brigadier general, including at the Battle of Chancellorsville. When Brig. Gen. Charles Griffin went on leave following Chancellorsville, Barnes became acting division commander. Tilton, by seniority, took charge of the First Brigade.
He led the brigade at the
On July 3, the 1st Brigade relieved Col.
After Gettysburg, Tilton retained brigade command until August 18, 1863. He returned to regimental command until November 19, when he again resumed brigade command. When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized in 1864 for Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign, Tilton was assigned to lead his regiment in Jacob Sweitzer's brigade of Griffin's division. He served in that role in the Battle of the Wilderness, the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, and the Battle of Cold Harbor, as well as in the early stages of the Siege of Petersburg. Tilton remained in regimental command until June 18, 1864, when he again became acting brigade commander until August 22. During this time he was engaged in action at the battles of Jerusalem Plank Road and Globe Tavern.
Tilton was mustered out of volunteer service on October 17 of that year. On December 12, 1864,
Postbellum activities
In 1866 General Tilton became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. He was also a member of the Massachusetts Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Tilton served as governor of the National Soldiers' Home in
He died in Newtonville, Massachusetts, and was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
See also
Notes
- ^ Tilton's official report
- ^ Gottfried, Brigades of Gettysburg.
- ^ ISBN 0-8047-3641-3
- ISBN 1-56013-002-4
- ^ "Pentagon biography". Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link).
References
- Eicher, John H., and ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
- Gottfried, Bradley M. Brigades of Gettysburg. New York: Da Capo Press, 2002. ISBN 0-306-81175-8.
- Hunt, Roger D. and Brown, Jack R. Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue. Gaithersburg, MD: Olde Soldier Books, Inc., 1990. ISBN 1-56013-002-4
- Pfanz, Harry W. Gettysburg – The Second Day. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1987. ISBN 0-8078-1749-X.
External links
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