Background
Henry Remsen Tilton was born in Barnegat Township, New Jersey on February 1, 1836.
Henry Remsen Tilton was born in Barnegat Township, New Jersey on February 1, 1836.
He graduated in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania in 1859 and, at the start of the American Civil War, enlisted in the United States Army in Jersey City as an assistant surgeon on August 26, 1861.
He served as an officer with the 7th United States. Cavalry during the Nez Perce War and was cited for gallantry at the Battle of Bear Paw Mountain, in which he rescued and protected wounded soldiers, on September 30, 1877. Serving as a first lieutenant and surgeon in various federal hospitals throughout the war, he was brevetted a captain and major for "faithful and meritorious service" on March 13, 1865. Tilton remained with the Army Medical Department after the war and was post surgeon at Fort Lyon in the Colorado Territory from 1866 to 1870.
While at Fort Lyon in May 1868, Tilton treated Kit Carson who had fallen ill while travelling to Washington, District of Columbia. He saw his first action that same year participating in skirmishes with the Cheyenne on September 8 and again on October 7, 1868.
Tilton later accompanied Colonel David South. Stanley in his expedition of the Yellowstone River in the Montana Territory in 1873. Tilton served under General Nelson A. Miles at Wolf Mountain, the last major battle of the Great Sioux War of 1876-1877, the following year.
Within a few short months, Tilton was once again under Miles command when the Nez Perce War began that summer. Assigned to the 7th United States. Cavalry Regiment, he later wrote an account of the campaign entitled "After the Nez Perce" published in Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun.
He spent the rest of his career with the medical department as deputy surgeon general.
Tilton retired from active service as a lieutenant colonel on February 2, 1900, and made a full colonel upon being placed on the retirement list. He died in Sackets Harbor, New York on June 25, 1906, and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery.