The Republican journal., 1916-08-24
General Charles w. TiIden

General Charles w. lllden
Led the 10th Maine Regiment in Many
Battles. Active as Private Citizen
Old Comrades Present War Time Por-
trait to the State.
An important feature of the annual
reunion of the Sixteenth Maine Regi-
ment, held in Gardiner Thursday, August
18th, was the exhibition of the portrait
of Charles W. Tilden, native of Cas-
tine, late colonel of the Sixteenth Maine
Infantry Volunteers and Brevet Brlga-
der General, recently completed by JOS
eph B. kahill of Portland.
A the annual reunion of the survivors
of the Sixteenth Maine Regiment, held
in August, 1915, it was unanimously voted
to have portrait of the late General
Tilden painted for presentation to the
State, on condition that the said portrait
sholld be hung in the rotunda OF the
State Capitol at Augusta beside many of
NJ LANES most distinguished sons, and
Lieutenant Francis Wiggin of Portland
was selected to carry out the wishes of
the association.
The authoritive value of the work is
assured from the fact that the portrait
was painted from photographs taken in
1863 when as colonel the subject was
leading the Sixteenth Maine Regiment to
the decisive battle of the Civil war in
which struggle he was taken prisoner
and his regiment was almost annihilated.
The survivors of the regiment were nat
urally DESTROYS of having the portrait
one which would bring back to them
their beloved leader as he appeared in
the war. The presentation of the paint
ing will in all probability be made by
General A B. Farnham some time in
the winter.
Early Interested in Military Affairs.
Companion Charles W. Tilden was born
in Castine on May 7, 1882, and died at
his home in Hallowell on March II, 1914.
He was therefore in his SD year when
he died.
In genealogical sketch which was
presented before the military order of
the Loyal Legion of the United States
as tribute to the memory OF the late
colonel ana adopted at stated meeting
of the commandery 1t was shown that he
was descended, both on ais paternal and
his maternal side, from distinguished an
cestry, and that the blood of fighters ran
in his veins. He was educated in the
public schools of Castine and at North
Yarmouth Academy. His father was a
prominent merchant in Castine and prior
to the opening of the Civil war his son
Charles was associated with him in bust
ness.
At an early age, however, he became
interested in military affairs and at the
outbreak of the Civil war in 1861 he
Joined the End Name Regiment as first
lieutenant of Company B, on April 18th,
Just 10 days after the assault of rebel
sympathizers upon the 9th Massachusetts
Regiment as 1t was marching through
the streets of Baltimore on its way to
Washington.
He was promoted to captain of Com
pany B in the End Maine Regiment on
June "a, 1861, and with his regiment
took part in the Battle of Bull Run in
July, 1861. He was in the Peninsula
campaign under General Mcclellan, in
the spring of 1862, and was in all of the
Seven Days battle near Richmond which
resulted in the falling back of Mcclellan s
army to Harrison S Landing on the James
River.
About the first of July in 1862, for
conspicuous galantry displayed in the
above named engagements and for his
ability as an officer, Captain Tilden was
commissioned, by Governor Washburn,
as lieutenant colonel Of the 10Th Maine
Regiment then being organized at Au-
gusta, to rank as such from June %,
1862 Receiving his commission while at
the front he Immediately resigned as
captain of the I'd Maine Regiment and
proceeded to Maine to share the fortunes
of the 10th Regiment.
The regiment was mustered into the
United States service on August IA,
1862 and on August 18th started for
Washington, numbering 1000 men and
officers, the colonel being Asa w. Wildes
of Skowhegan.
Led 10th Maine in Many Battles.
Companion Tilden led the 10Th Maine
Regiment in the following battles: Fred
ericksburg, Charlottesville, Gettysburg,
Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Laurel Hill,
North Anna River, Tolopotomy, Cold
Harbor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad,
Hatcher's Run, White O * Road, Five
Forks and Appomattox. He had a
horse shot under him at Gettysburg, al
so at Hatcher's River. He was slightly
wounded in three different engagements.
He was twice captured, first at Gettys-
burg, on the first day of July, 1868,
when the First Corps having fought four
times it's own numbers and having lost
two thirds of its men, to avoid entire de-
struction was obliged to fall back and
was only saved by the sacrifice of the
18th Name Regiment, under orders to