Thomas Posey
Photo submitted by Jeff Weimer
Thomas Posey was born about 1875 in South Carolina. He enlisted 1 June 1898 in the 10th US Volunteer Infantry in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The 10th U.S. Volunteer Infantry began training at Camp Dyer, near Augusta, Georgia, and by 13 July, half of the companies were present. Its first commander, Major Jesse Lee of the 9th US Infantry, chose to return to the 9th rather than accept the colonelcy of the 10th U.S. Volunteer Infantry where he would be expected to eat in an integrated mess. He was replaced with Thaddeus Jones, who had twenty-five years of command experience with the African American Cavalry regiments known as the "Buffalo Soldiers". Col. Jones arrived at Camp Dyer on 2 August, and by October, the regiment moved to Weil’s Farm in Lexington, Kentucky where it was brigaded with the 7th U.S Volunteer Infantry, another "immune" regiment. The 10th stayed there until November, then moved to Camp Haskell near Macon, Georgia.
The regiment's history was marked by the racial tension which characterized the late nineteenth century. Its soldiers would later recall the antagonistic attitude of the civilian population near the camps, and the situation boiled over when the regiment mustered out on 8 March 1899. The press offered sensational accounts of soldiers looting saloons and stores as the trains carried them back to their homes. The Georgia militia was called out when guns were fired, a brakeman was killed, and the citizenry demanded protection. The incidents only confirmed the negative opinion of the white majority as to the professionalism of Black soldiers. The officers of the 10th U.S. Volunteer Infantry defended the men, pointing to the unjust prejudice which they had endured during their service.
Private Thomas Posey, was admitted to the Ft Thomas Medical Hospital in October 1898 where he died 10 November 1898 in Ft Thomas and was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, section 25.