David E. Twiggs
| David E. Twiggs | |
|---|---|
Brigadier General David E. Twiggs
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Bengal Tiger" |
| Born |
February 14, 1790 Richmond County, Georgia |
| Died |
July 15, 1862 (aged 72) Augusta, Georgia |
| Place of burial | Twiggs Cemetery, Augusta, Georgia |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Confederate States of America |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Confederate States Army |
| Years of service | 1812–1861 (USA) 1861 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 Brevet Major General, USA Major General, CSA
|
| Commands held | Department of the West |
| Battles/wars | |
| Relations | John Twiggs Myers (grandson) |
David Emanuel Twiggs (February 14, 1790 – July 15, 1862) was a United States soldier during the War of 1812 and Mexican-American War and a general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was the oldest Confederate general in the Civil War.
Twiggs was born on the "Good Hope" estate in Richmond County, Georgia, son of John Twiggs, for whom Twiggs County, Georgia was named and a general in the Georgia militia during the American Revolution, and a maternal nephew of David Emanuel, Governor of Georgia.
Twiggs volunteered for service as a captain in the War of 1812 and subsequently served in the Seminole Wars. In 1828, he arrived in Wisconsin to establish a fort, at the portage between the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers. With three companies of the First Infantry, they built Fort Winnebago around what has come to be known as Fort Winnebago Surgeon's Quarters at Portage, Wisconsin. This was a base of operation during the Black Hawk War. He became Colonel of the 2nd U.S. Dragoons in 1836 and served in the Seminole Wars in Florida, where he earned the nickname "Bengal Tiger" for his fierce temper. He also decided to act offensively against the Seminoles rather than wait for them to strike first.
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Wikipedia