Background
Toy was born in Buffalo, New York in 1866.
Toy was born in Buffalo, New York in 1866.
Toy was among the cavalrymen ordered to capture Chief Big Foot who, on December 29, 1890, surrounded the Sioux camp on Wounded Knee Creek with the intention of arresting the Sioux chieftain and disarming his followers. Toy was a sergeant assigned to Company G commanded by Captain Winfield Scott Edgerly. Toy was cited for "bravery displayed while shooting hostile Indians;" lieutenant was changed on the final citation after being returned by the War Department.
Captain Winfield South Edgerly said Sergeant Toy did "deliberately aim at and hit two Indians who had run into the ravine." Toy was presented the medal in a public ceremony, which was featured in Harper"s Weekly.
Later in his career, Toy served as an orderly to President Theodore Roosevelt and was later promoted to ordnance sergeant. In January 1911, Toy was placed on the retired list after more than thirty years of military service.
He died on August 5, 1933 and is buried at Riverdale Cemetery in Lewiston, New New York His grave marker identifies him as a captain.
The appropriateness of the award of the Medal of Honor to Toy, as well as to the others awarded for Wounded Knee, was challenged more than 100 years later.
He received the Medal of Honor for bravery at what was then called the Battle of Wounded Knee, but now commonly called the Wounded Knee Massacre, against the Sioux Indians on December 29, 1890. Toy was one of seventeen enlisted men awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions that day. He also attained the rank of first sergeant by the time his Medal of Honor was awarded on May 26, 1891. The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to First Sergeant Frederick Ernest Toy, United States Army, for bravery on 29 December 1890, while serving with Company G, 7th United States. Cavalry, in action at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota.
