Edward Parsons Tobie Jr. (March 19, 1838 – January 21, 1900) was a United States soldier who received his nation's highest award for bravery during combat, the U.S. Medal of Honor, while fighting with the Union Army during the American Civil War as a sergeant-major with the 1st Maine Volunteer Cavalry. According to his Medal of Honor citation, despite having been severely wounded during the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia on April 6, 1865, and again at Farmville on April 7, he refused hospitalization, choosing instead to remain with his regiment in order to perform the duties of the 1st Maine's regimental adjutant who had recently fallen in combat. Those duties included services rendered by Tobie at Appomattox.
Formative years
Born on March 19, 1838, in Lewiston, Maine, Edward Parsons Tobie Jr. was a son of abolitionist Edward Parsons Tobie, Sr. (1800–1875) and his first wife, Caroline (Frye) Tobie (1804–1838). His father, a wool carder by trade who ultimately became the town clerk of Lewiston, holding that job, with the exception of one year from 1839 until 1875. A deacon with Lewiston's Free Baptist Church, the elder Tobie also helped fugitive slaves escape to Canada. The other siblings in the Tobie household were: Sarah, Mary, Joseph, and Laroy/Leroy (born, respectively, in 1829, 1832, 1838, and 1843).
Civil War
Following his enrollment in Maine for Civil War military service, Edward P. Tobie Jr. officially mustered in for duty as a sergeant with Company G of the 1st Maine Volunteer Cavalry. He then participated with his regiment in a number of the Union Army's most important engagements of the war, including 1862's First Battle of Winchester (May 25) and battles of Cedar Mountain (August 9), Second Bull Run (August 28–30), South Mountain (September 14), Antietam (September 17), and Fredericksburg (December 11–15); 1863's Stoneman's Raid, Battle of Brandy Station (June 9), during which he was taken prisoner after being wounded, and the battles of Gettysburg (July 1–3), and Mine Run (November 7 to December 2); and 1864's battles of Todd's Tavern (May 7), Haw's Shop (May 28), Old Church (May 30), Cold Harbor (May 31 to June 12), Trevilian Station (June 11–12), St. Mary's Church (June 24), Deep Bottom I/Gravel Hill (July 27–29), Ream's Station II (August 25), and Boydton Plank Road (October 27–28).
Tobie was then appointed as sergeant-major on December 12, 1864.
During the spring of 1865, Tobie then performed the act of valor for which he would ultimately be awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor. Despite having been severely wounded in action during the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia on April 6, 1865, and again at Farmville on April 7, he refused hospitalization, choosing instead to remain with his regiment in order to perform the duties of the 1st Maine's regimental adjutant who had recently fallen in combat. Those duties included services rendered by Tobie at Appomattox. As told in Beyer's Deeds of Valor:
Lieutenant T. Little, adjutant of the First Maine Cavalry, was wounded in the first charge of General Smith's Third Brigade on the 6th, and shortly after his successor, Lieutenant J. W. Poor, met a like fate, whereupon Colonel Cilly detailed Sergeant Tobie to assume the duties of adjutant. Just as the regiment started on the final charge that day which resulted so disastrously for the enemy a bullet pierced Tobie's foot and threw him to the ground. With great difficulty he hobbled to the rear, but upon recovering his horse, which had been caught by the colonel's orderly, he mounted it and started for the field hospital, where he had his wound bandaged. The surgeon advised him to stay in the rear, but finding his wound not to be serious he rejoined his regiment, reaching it in time to go on a scout through the woods. The regiment was on the march early next day, the plucky sergeant with it, and though his foot pained him greatly he did not hesitate and stay behind when the charge into the village of Farmville was made. He rode at the front of the second battalion with Major Hall, and dashing through the village put to rout a superior force of the enemy. In this charge Sergeant Tobie was again wounded, the bullet passing through his leg, killing his horse; but upon finding that the wound was not serious, he had it bandaged and a second time rejoined his regiment, having in the meantime procured another horse. That night found him with his regiment on its march to Appomattox, where for a third time he was, in a wounded condition, engaged with the enemy.