Yes, presumably, a local gave the information about Tilghman to Grant, he accepted it as fact and included it in his report. An Illinois State Journal reporter who identified himself as "Q" made a similar claim. It's here: http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2739:1.lincoln

As another follower pointed out, 40 officers sounds like an awful lot to be in Paducah at the time. If true, you'd think there would be available evidence. One of the problems with Grant's report and the newspaper account is that Tilghman was a colonel at the time rather than a brigadier general. Benjamin appointed Tilghman a brigadier in a letter to Johnston on October 16, 1861.