This talk explores the story of Colonel Tench Tilghman—George Washington’s most trusted aide-de-camp—and his complicated ties to a family torn between loyalty to the Crown and the cause of independence. Discover how General George Washington himself navigated relationships with the Tilghmans—father, uncle, and brothers—on both sides of the war, and what their story reveals about unity, conflict, and the personal costs of nation-building.

The Historic Annapolis Virtual Lecture Series is offered free of charge thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor. If you enjoy this program, we hope you will consider becoming a member or making a donation today to support Historic Annapolis and our mission to connect all people with our shared history. 

Can’t watch live? All lectures will be recorded. Please register and you’ll receive the link to watch the recording after the event.

Advance registration required; registration closes on half-hour prior to lecture. 

Cost: FREE

This lecture will be offered virtually by Zoom. Upon registration, you will be sent the link for the video conference to join on the evening of the lecture. If you do not receive your confirmation email after you register, please check your Spam folder, or email Cara Garside at cara.garside@annapolis.org. To learn more about Zoom and to download the app to your computer, visit the Zoom website.

About Our Presenter: Dr. Richard Bell is Associate Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the new book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home.  He has won more than a dozen teaching awards, including the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching, the highest honor for teaching faculty in the Maryland state system. He has held major research fellowships at Yale, Cambridge, and the Library of Congress and is the recipient of the National Endowment of the Humanities Public Scholar award. He serves as a Trustee of the Maryland Center for History and Culture, as an elected member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

The information contained in the HA Virtual Lecture series represents the historical research, views and opinions of the lecture presenter and may not represent the views or opinions of Historic Annapolis, Inc.