Tobias Stansbury was an American general during the War of 1812. He is remembered for his huge tactical blunder at the Battle of Bladensburg, one of several decisions by the American commanders present that insured a British victory.
It came as no surprise to Lt. Patrick Driscol that when the Battle of Bladensburg began, General Tobias Stansbury was very loudly threatening to saber any American soldier who left the field, but ran just as fast as any of the men when the British unleased their Congreve rockets. The British now had an easy road to Washington.
A militia unit that was supposed to be under Stansbury's command had effectively gotten lost on the way to the battle. The unit was discovered on the road between Baltimore and Washington by Driscol, Pvt. Anthony McParland and freedman Henry Crowell. Driscol "transferred" the unit to his command, a fact that relieved the soldiers, especially after they learned of how poorly Stansbury acquitted himself.