Jonathan R F Poston
Residence was not listed;
Enlisted on 10/1/1861 at Camp King, KY as a Private.
On 12/8/1861 he mustered into "B" Co. KY 23rd Infantry, USA
He died on 1/27/1863 at Hospital, Stone River, TN
He was listed as:
* Wounded 12/31/1862 Stones River, TN
Sources used by Historical Data Systems, Inc.:
- Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Kentucky
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Jonathan R. F. Poston, age 44, Private, Captain Northup's Company, 23rd Regiment Kentucky Infantry*, joined for duty and enrolled October 1, 1861 at Newport Barracks, for 3 years, wounded in action at Stone River, December 31, 1862, died in 4th Div. 14 A. C. Hospital near Stone River January 26/27, 1863 of wounds received
* The organization subsequently became Company B, 23rd Regiment Kentucky Infantry
M397: Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Kentucky
..............
Elizabeth Poston, widow of Jonathan R. F. Poston, filed widows pension, certificate WC 2A648, approved, child John (7 other children)
Note: There are 47 cards in her pension file
Case Files of Approved Pension Applications of Widows and Other Dependents of Civil War Veterans, ca. 1861 - ca. 1910
Short Description: Approved pension applications of widows and other dependents of Civil War veterans who served between 1861 and 1910.
..............
Twenty-third Infantry
KENTUCKY
(3-YEARS)
Twenty-third Infantry. -- Col., Marcellus Mundy; Lieut.-Cols.,
John P. Jackson, James C. Foy, George W. Northup; Majs.,
Thomas H. Hamrick, William Boden.
This regiment was organized at Camp King near Covington. The
companies came from that part of the state one being from
Mason county, one from Pendleton, one from Boone the others
from Campbell and Kenton.
The regiment was in camp until Feb., 1862, when it went to
Lexington, thence beyond Lebanon to the Rolling fork, thence
it marched to Bardstown and Louisville where it went on board
the steamer "Diana" and was transported to Nashville, where it
remained during the spring. In August it was in a severe
fight at Round Mountain and lost 4 men.
The regiment then marched with Buell's army to Kentucky, being
in Grose's brigade Smith's division, Crittenden's corps. At
the battle of Perryville the regiment did not become engaged,
though it was with the army at that place. After Bragg's
retirement from Kentucky it marched to Nashville, where it
remained until a little while before the battle of
Murfreesboro.
In the regimental report, made by Maj. Hamrick, the fighting
of Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 is described as terrific. In the two
days the regiment lost 8 killed and 51 wounded. On Jan. 24 it
went with other troops on an expedition to Woodbury, Tenn.,
where it was engaged with loss.
Subsequently it moved to Whiteside, then toward Trenton next
on a reconnaissance up Lookout mountain, and arrived at Point
Lookout at 11:30 a. m., Sept. 8. The enemy could be seen and
there was skirmishing. That evening it bivouacked near
Rossville, 4 miles from Chattanooga.
On Sept. 10 it moved on the Ringgold road and bivouacked near
Graysville; spent the 11th at Ringgold, reached Chickamauga
creek opposite Lee & Gordon's mill the next day, was then in
various movements until the battle of Chickamauga, where its
losses were 1 officer (Lieut. J. C. Hoffman) and 9 men killed,
3 officers and 45 men wounded.
It then moved to Chattanooga, where it remained in camp until
operations began under Gen. Grant. A portion of the regiment,
under Capt. Tiffet, constituted part of Hazen's picked force
which opened the river from Chattanooga to Bridgeport, so that
the army might receive supplies, and during which it
participated in the battle of Brown's ferry.
The regiment moved out and took part in the fighting which
preceded the great charge at Missionary Ridge, and
participated in the charge, with a loss of 8 killed and 29
wounded. The month of December was spent in the East
Tennessee valley above Knoxville, being at Morristown, Powder
springs, Strawberry plains, New Market and Blain's cross-
roads, where on Jan. 5, 1864, the regiment reenlisted, and
after the veteran furlough returned to the front at
Chattanooga.
In the list of sixteen battles named on the colors of the
regiment by order of Gen. Grant, appear Rocky Face Ridge,
Resaca, New Hope Church, Pine top, Kennesaw Mountain, Smyrna,
Atlanta, Lovejoy's Station, all in the Atlanta campaign.
From northern Georgia the regiment went to Nashville, and
thence marched with the 4th and 23d corps under the immediate
command of Gen. Schofield to Pulaski Tenn., the regiment being
in Whitaker's brigade, Kimball's division 4th corps. It
assisted in preventing Hood's occupation of Spring Hill and
the next day the battle of Franklin occurred, in which the
regiment bore its part.
After the battle the regiment moved with Schofield's troops to
Nashville, two weeks later participated in the battle there,
then followed the enemy into Alabama; thence marched to Lick
creek in East Tennessee, and thence to Nashville, where it was
in April and May, 1865.
It was then transported to New Orleans, was then sent to Green
Lake, Tex., where it remained until September. In November it
was at Victoria Tex., where it was mustered out in Dec., 1865
In its term of service 4 officers and 81 men were killed, and
107 died of sickness.
Source: The Union Army, vol. 4, p. 334
******************************************************************
Stone's River after battle report:
Report of Maj. Thomas H. Hamrick, Twenty-third Kentucky Infantry.
HDQRS. TWENTY-THIRD INFANTRY,
Camp in front of Murfreesborough, Tenn., January 5, 1863
SIR: I hereby beg leave to make my report of the part taken by the
Twenty-third Kentucky Infantry in the two battles before
Murfreesborough, December 31, 1863:
On December 26, 1862, we left our camp near Nashville with 282 men,
and took up our line of march with the brigade, under the command of
Col. William Grose, in the rear of the Sixth Ohio. Halted near La
Vergne at dusk, where we bivouacked during the night.
On the morning of the 27th, my regiment was detailed as guard to
Gen. Palmer's division train. At night we took up our position with
the brigade.
On the 28th (Sunday), we moved to the front with our brigade, and
were placed as reserve to the Eighty-fourth Illinois.
On the 29th, we moved forward, crossed Stewart's Creek, waist-deep,
and followed the Eighty-fourth Illinois in line of battle. Remained in
front all night with the brigade.
On the 30th, I was ordered forward some 400 yards, to support
Parsons' (regular) battery, on the right, where we remained until dark,
when we were relieved, and ordered some 400 yards to the rear and into
the timber, for rest.
On the 31st (Wednesday), I was ordered to form in line on the left of
the Sixth Ohio, fronting the enemy's battery in front, when, the fire
becoming heavy upon our right and rear, Col. Grose ordered me to
change my front, which I immediately did, facing the direction of the
enemy's fire, when I was ordered to unsling knapsacks. I was then
ordered to move forward and support the Sixth Ohio, which I did,
moving as far as the skirt of the wood on my left, when Gen.
Palmer rode up and ordered me to retire to the support of Parsons' battery.
At this time the stampede from the right became general from the woods
in our front. I had some fear of being carried away with it, but found
no difficulty in moving my men to the support of the battery, forming
my right on the battery, and my left resting on the wood. The enemy
appeared on our front, and poured in a galling fire upon us, with the
intention, it seemed, to charge the battery. Some regiment formed upon
my left, resting in the woods. The battery opened a cross-fire upon the
enemy, as did also my regiment and the one upon my left, driving him
back in great confusion and with heavy loss. The battery retired, when
I was ordered to change my front and form behind a ledge of rocks,
and cause my men to lie down and await the approach of the enemy.
The enemy's fire becoming very heavy, I was ordered to fall back with
my command to the railroad in rear of the Twenty-fourth Ohio, which
I did slowly and in good order.
After remaining there for some thirty minutes, I was ordered to move
forward and relieve the Twenty-fourth Ohio, whose ammunition was
exhausted. This I did under a heavy fire from the enemy. That position
I held for fifty-five minutes, driving the enemy back with my superior
guns under cover of the woods, when we were relieved and ordered to
the rear for ammunition.
At 5.30 p.m. I was again ordered to the front, when I took the position
in the wood, in front of the railroad, occupied by me before I was
ordered to the rear, which point I occupied until I was relieved, at 1
a.m., when I was again ordered to the rear for refreshments and rest.
On January 1, I was ordered to the rear and center of Van Cleve's and
Wood's divisions, where I remained until 12 m., when I was ordered
to cross the river to our left, where I remained until 2.30 p.m., when
I was ordered to recross the river and go into camp for a night's rest.
On January 2, I was again ordered with the brigade to cross the river,
when Col. Grose ordered me to take a position behind a fence, on
the extreme front and left. I threw out three companies as skirmishers.
I remained in position until 3.30 p.m., when the enemy appeared,
driving back the forces on my right. The Fifty-ninth Ohio broke and
ran across my front and some of them over my men, who were lying
behind the fence in line. I saw that the enemy were driving back the
forces upon my right, so I changed my front and opened upon him. I
had no sooner done so than a battery opened upon my left with grape,
and at the same time a fire of small-arms was opened upon my left and
rear, placing me within a cross-fire. I then attempted to move my men
back to the brigade, when some stragglers raised the cry, "We are
surrounded." and I found it was impossible to keep my men in order.
They then fell back in confusion. I succeeded in rallying most of them
in the woods on the left of the brigade. The balance, with a few
exceptions, rallied and returned.
The enemy was then driven back with heavy loss. I then moved
forward beyond my original position, keeping open a heavy fire upon him.
When we halted we were 500 yards in advance and to the right of our
original position, and occupying the ground of our former picket line,
which position we held until dark when, being relieved, we returned to
our position occupied before the engagement, having lost in the two
days' engagements 8 killed, 51 wounded, and 22 missing.
Chaplain William H. Black deserves especial praise for the manner in
which he acted being always at his post, and rendering aid and comfort
to the wounded, both while the fight was going on and during the two
succeeding nights. Dr. A. M. Morrison, also deserves great praise for
his kindness and attention to the wounded at all hours, day and night.
My officers, line and staff, acted with great coolness and bravery, with
a few exceptions, which I cannot particularize in this report.
I have the honor to remain, your most obedient servant,
THOMAS H. HAMRICK,
Maj., Cmdg. Regt.
Capt. R. SOUTHGATE,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-Gen., Third Brig. Second Div.
Source: Official Records
CHAP. XXXII.] THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN. PAGE 569-29
[Series I. Vol. 20. Part I, Reports. Serial No. 29.]