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Thomas Posey

 

Thomas Posey
THOMAS POSEY moved to Henderson County in the early days of the 19th century and established an estate for part of his large family. In 1804, he was elected to the state senate and, when Lieutenant-Governor John CALDWELL died two months after inauguration, POSEY was elected speaker of the senate. Under the Constitution of 1799, this meant he was also acting Lieutenant-Governor, a position he held until December 28, 1807. Before coming to Kentucky, General POSEY lived in Virginia where, according to his biographer, He was born of respectable parents, near the Potomac River on 9 July, 1750. This property was contiguous to GEORGE WASHINGTON'S Mount Vernon. Posey's family is mentioned as frequent guest and hunting companion to Washington. Thomas Posey's military career began in the expedition that Lord DUNMORE led against the Indians in 1774; two years later he was a captain in the 7th Virginia Regiment opposing the same Lord DUNMORE. The year before, at age 25, he was elected a member of a Committee of Correspondence, a state-wide organization that helped prepare the patriots for the Revolution. Soon after Captain Posey joined the army, General WASHINGTON directed Colonial Daniel MORGAN to organize a rifle regiment of selected officers and men. POSEY was selected as one of the Captains and, in at least two instances, was ordered to take command while MORGAN was on furlough. In 1778 he attained the rank of Major, and at Monmouth served under the orders of Marquis de LaFayette. In the spring of 1779, Major POSEY took command of the 11th Virginia Regiment of infantry and served under General WAYNE. On the night of July 15, 1778, he distinguished himself in the assault on Stoney Point by making a successful charge on an enemy battery. It was Posey who gave the word, "The Fort’s our own", in one of the most daring and brilliant achievements of the Revolution. At the close of the Revolution he held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, which was raised to Brigadier-Gen

 
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