u/OldInspector1921

He served with the 2nd Maine. The 2nd Maine fought in eleven battles most notably; First Battle of Bull Run, Second Battle of Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Antietam and Chancellorsville.

Tozier was wounded at the Battle of Gaines' Mill sustaining two wounds. He was shot in the hand and also shot in the ankle. He was then taken prisoner and later exchanged.

He was wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862. In a 1908 medical examination, Tozier explained of an old rib fracture as having been caused by a grazing cannonball at Fredericksburg.

In mid June 1863 he was transferred to the 20th Maine infantry. Tozier fought alongside the 20th Maine in the following battles; Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna and Cold Harbor.

During the battle of Gettysburg the 20th Maine fell back from Little Round Top. Tozier stood alone in an advanced position on Little Round Top holding the American flag in one arm and firing his musket in the other. He picked up ammunition at his feet. Seeing Tozier standing there alone inspired and rallied his comrades around him. The 20th Maine rushed towards Tozier which ultimately pushed the advancing rebels back. He saved Little Round Top from falling into rebel hands. Had the confederates controlled Little Round Top they would have flanked the Union army and likely won the battle of Gettysburg. Due to his heroic stand, Tozier won the medal of honor for his bravery.

Later in the war Tozier was wounded at the battle of North Anna on May 26, 1864. A bullet struck his head just behind his eye. Most of the bullet exited the skull, but a portion remained lodged inside. Despite this latest wound, he continued to serve until his original enlistment term expired on July 15, 1864.

Tozier received the medal of honor on August 13, 1898.

He survived the war and died in Litchfield, Maine on March 28, 1910, aged 72.

In 1660, Richard Tozier Sr. moved into present-day Maine to the Salmon Falls area near Kittery. He had a sixty acre grant of land from the town at Newichawannock, above Salmon Falls.

Richard built a garrison house on his property, which was attacked by Indians in 1675 during King Phillip's War. At the time of the attack, Richard was absent on a patrol in the command of Capt. John Wincoll; there were, however, fifteen women in the house:

"The house of Richard Tozer at Salmon Falls, wherein were fifteen women and children, was attacked by two Indians, "Andrew" and "Hope-Hood," but was valiantly defended by a young woman, who held fast the door till all the others escaped, and till it was hewn in pieces by the Indians, who then entering struck her down, leaving her for dead, while they followed the others to the next house, which being better fortified, the Indians did not attack. Two children were captured who were of this company, and could not keep up with the others; one of three years was killed, the other of seven was carried into captivity, but afterwards returned by them. The brave girl who defended the house revived after the Indians left her, and escaped to her friends and was restored to perfect health."

A few weeks later, on October 16, Richard, his son Thomas, and three other men were ambushed by Indians about a half-mile from the garrison house:

"As the people gathered more and more into the garrisons, the Indians gathered into larger bodies, with the evident design to reduce these garrisons one by one, while they warily watched to cut off all stragglers who attempted to pass from one to another. October 7th was observed as a day of public humiliation, and on that day three men were killed near Newichewannock, and soon after a garrison was assaulted and an old man named Beard was killed just outside the house, and other houses were burnt. On October 16th a large body of Indians, said to be a hundred, gathered towards the settlement of Salmon Falls, and surprising Richard Tozer at his house half a mile from the garrison, killed him and captured his son. Lieut. Roger Plaisted, who was in command at the garrison, hearing the guns of this attack, immediately sent seven men to find out the cause, when they were ambushed, and two or three were killed, and the other barely escaped back to their garrison."

Richard's death was reported in a letter by Lt. Plaisted to Major Richard Welderne, who commanded the militias in the region:

"Mr. Richard Waldern and Lieut. Coffin,

These are to inform you, that just now the Indians are engaging us with at least one Hundred Men, and have slain four of our men already, Richard Tozer, James Barney, Isaack Bottes, and Tozer's Son and burnt Benoni Hodsen's House; Sir, if ever you have any love for us, and the Country, now shew yourself with Men to help us, or else we are all in great Danger to be slain, unless our God wonderfully appear for our Deliverence. They that cannot fight, let them pray; Nought else, but I rest, Yours to serve you."

John was born on October 30, 1749 in Sherborn, Massachusetts Bay Colony. John served with the Massachusetts Navy during the American Revolution and was a Captain.

John and his wife Lucy resided on Fox Island, Maine from 1762 until Aug 1779 when most islanders had to flee for safety from the British. When he refused to pledge allegiance to the Crown, British forces severely persecuted him, plundered his goods, and burned his house on the islands, he and his family narrowly escaped.

He was part of a guerrilla resistance with one letter documenting an incident when Perry found British soldiers robbing his corn supply in the woods; he fired upon them, killing two men. This is an excerpt from a 1821 letter;

"Mr, John Perry, who lived here in the American Revolution having harvested his Corn and hid it in A Crib in the woods, finding part of the crew of A man of war, robing the crib, fired on them and killed two men dead in the spot. He was afterwards severely persecuted by the British Cru^sers, and several times narrowly escaped their hands"

John and Lucy were actively sought after by the British both on the islands and in Rockland, Maine. After the war they moved back to Fox Island.

John died on January 14, 1833 in Vinalhaven, Maine aged 83.