CHARLES A. TILLOTSON

Main Cemetery -- Area E
Lot 294 -- Westside

Charles was born in 1846 in Mendon, NY to Joseph and Mary Tillotson, a farming family. There were six children who all helped out with the work of the farm.

Charlie enlisted when he was 19 and mustered into G Company of the 108th NY infantry in 1862. He very soon received a mortal head wound and died 3 days later. The battle that claimed his life was that of Antietam, the deadliest of the Civil War. Tens of thousands of men from both sides lost their lives in that gruesome battle. It began on September 17, 1862 at dawn. In total more than 23,000 men died or were wounded or went missing on that single day. More Americans died during this battle than any other day in American military history. Five days later, the Emancipation Proclamation was declared.

Charlie’s best friend, Byron Holcomb also died in that battle and the two were buried side by side under a tree in Antietam National Cemetery. Both men were exhumed by their families and brought home where they were buried in East Henrietta Baptist Church Cemetery on Reeves Road.

Those men were the first to die from the east side of Monroe County and their funeral was attended by many.

Charlie was exhumed a second time and buried in the Pittsford Cemetery to be near his mother. His tombstone was carved with the incorrect date of 1863 rather than 1862. Poor Charlie – he tried to do so much right for his country.