Twiggs was born on February 14, 1790 on the "Good Hope" plantation in Richmond County, Georgia, son of John Twiggs and his wife. A general in the Georgia militia during the American Revolutionary War, the senior Twiggs was the namesake for Twiggs County, Georgia. He was the nephew, through his mother, of David Emanuel, Governor of Georgia.
Career
He was appointed a captain in the 8th United States Infantry in March 1812, and served in minor capacities during the war with Great Britain.
He became a major of the 28th Infantry in September 1814, but his regiment was disbanded the following June, and he was without a commission.
When interest in military affairs revived, he was commissioned a major of the 16t Infantry on May 14, 1825, lieutenant-colonel of the 4th Infantry, July 15, 1831, and colonel of the 2nd Dragoons, June 8, 1836. It was in the last capacity that he joined Zachary Taylor's forces at the beginning of the War with Mexico. Shortly thereafter arose the unfortunate dispute between himself and Brevet Brigadier-General William J. Worth, whose regular rank was that of colonel, junior to Twiggs. Through the awkward handling of this controversy over prestige and rank by Taylor, the troops lost confidence in all three of their superiors.
Twiggs, however, gave a good account of himself at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, so that, on June 30, 1846, he was promoted to the grade of regular brigadier-general. After the capture of Monterey, Taylor asked for another promotion for him, although Twiggs had ostensibly been ill and had taken no part in the fight.
Singularly enough, he was brevetted a major-general for gallantry at Monterey. Throughout the northern campaign he had commanded the 16t Division, but when Scott's southern campaign began he was withdrawn to the south.
He served at Vera Cruz and commanded the vanguard of that army in its progress toward Mexico City. Although his leadership at Cerro Gordo was more intrepid than intelligent and his feint before Mexico City lacked vigor, his work mainly showed dogged perseverance and bravery.
He was a staunch and loyal supporter of his commander when too many of the other commanders about him were insubordinate and conniving.
He was a member of the court of inquiry on Worth's defiant conduct, and was military governor of Vera Cruz from December 1847 to March 1848.
After the war his peace-time duties of departmental commander, mostly in the South, simmered into the routine of the decade preceding the Civil War.
In February 1861, he was in command of the Department of Texas. It was then, because of his Southern affiliations, that he surrendered all of the Union forces and stores under his control to the Confederate general, Ben McCulloch. He was, accordingly, promptly dismissed from the United States Army.
On May 22, 1861, he was made a major-general of the Confederate army and assigned to the command of the district of Louisiana. At this time he was the ranking general of the Confederate forces, but he was too old to take the field.
He died on July 15, 1862 and was buried near his birthplace in the old Twiggs Cemetery, about ten miles from Augusta.
Achievements
Membership
He was an original member of the Aztec Club of 1847, a military society of officers who had served in the Mexican War.
Personality
Twiggs was a robust, powerfully built man, nearly six feet tall, with thick red face, heavy white hair, and an abundant beard. To his soldiers he was the embodiment of dynamic physical energy. They called him variously "Old Davy, " "The Horse, " and "Bengal Tiger. "
Connections
He was survived by his second wife and two children. His first wife was Elizabeth Hunter, of Virginia; and his second was a Mrs. Hunt, of New Orleans, La. His daughter became the wife of Abraham C. Myers, of the Confederate army.