page_title: Andrew McClary
section_title: Battle of Bunker Hill
hierarchical_section_title: Andrew McClary / Military life / Battle of Bunker Hill
caption_attribution_description: English: Oil painting by John Trumbull depicting soldiers at the Battle of Bunker Hill
context_page_description: Andrew McClary was an Irish soldier and major in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. McClary was born in Ulster, Ireland and came to colonial America with his parents at age sixteen where they lived on a farm in New Hampshire. Here the McClary family also built a tavern, where town meetings were also held. Many of New Hampshire's prominent and influential men had come from the McClary family. In session Andrew McClary had also become the Town Clerk and soon a notable community leader during the years before the revolution. In the mid 1700s New Hampshire frontier McClary gained much of his field experience leading expeditions against hostile Indians in the area.
  Just before the revolution McClary planned and led an attack on a British supply depot at the castle at Portsmouth. McClary was said to have been a natural leader and one who greatly inspired morale among the New Hampshire militia. During the revolution he assembled a company of men in New Hampshire and marched over seventy miles to Boston and fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill. During the retreat he was the last soldier to leave the battle site.
context_section_description: On April 27, 1775, when word of the Battles at Lexington and Concord   reached the Suncook Valley in New Hampshire, McClary was busy plowing land back on his farm. He and other patriots gathered and "flew to arms" and assembled at Nottingham Square. There they made Captain McClary commander of the company consisting of eighty men. They departed from Nottingham Square at one o'clock in the afternoon and conducted a "rapid march" south to Kingston. From there they continued at a fast pace without resting until sunset, arriving at Haverhill, just over the Massachusetts border on the Merrimack River. McClary's company covered twenty-seven miles in six hours. They continued for a few more miles then stopped and took supper at Andover. After resting a bit they resumed marching through the night and by sunrise had covered seventy miles distance. After passing through Medford, they continued south and marched on Cambridge Common where upon arrival were all willing and eager to fight for the Revolution. There McClary and his company joined up with Colonel John Stark, who gave McClary the rank of major. On June 16 they received orders to join with American forces and prepare for battle at Bunker Hill, in Charlestown across the Mystic River from Boston. The battle was to take place on the Charleston Peninsula which was only accessible to American infantry by crossing over the very narrow Charleston Neck.
  During the first British advance on the American fortifications atop Breed's Hill, McClary, along with Seth Pomeroy, John Stark, James Reed and Thomas Knowlton, were at the front in the redoubt.  According to Colonel Swett in his 1826 account of the battle, when the Americans were finally given the order to fire, McClary, with his stentorian voice, was distinctly heard over the roar of cannon and musket fire, "animating and encouraging the men as though he would inspire every ball that sped, with his own fire and energy."
  As the battle unfolded the American soldiers were directed to spot and fire upon every British officer they could distinguish. When Major McClary would sight an officer he would instantly call out: "There, See that officer. Let’s shoot at him!" Two or three soldiers, all excellent marksmen, would then fire at the same time, making sure their target was hit. During the battle, though a British tactical victory, they lost a considerable number of officers.
  After the battle, with many wounded in the retreat, McClary immediately procured a horse and rode five miles north to Medford and returned with bandages and other supplies for the wounded. He then prepared to go back across Charlestown Neck to observe any further British movement at Bunker Hill. He was cautioned by his son and other men not to embark on such a risky effort, but McClary exclaimed, "The ball is not yet cast that will kill me!". Upon returning while crossing the Neck to rejoin his men, a shot from a frigate passed through his body.  He leaped a few feet from the ground, keeled over and fell dead on his face. Later McClary would be carried to Medford, and interred with military honors.
  Henry Dearborn in his 1818 account of the battle wrote of McClary: 
  "There was no cavalry in either army. From the ships of war and a large battery on Copp's Hill, a heavy cannonade was kept up upon our line and redoubt...during the retreat; but with very little effect, except that of killing the brave Major Andrew M'Clary of Col. Stark's regiment soon after we retired from Bunker Hill. He was among the first officers of the army. —Possessing a sound judgment, of undaunted bravery, enterprising, ardent and zealous, both as a patriot and soldier. His loss was severely felt by his compatriots in arms..."
  McClary was technically the highest-ranking American officer to die in the battle; General Warren had declined an offer of command and had no commission at the time of battle.  McClary's death was the last to occur there. He was one among the ten American officers to perish during the battle.
  McClary's body was taken to Medford, Massachusetts just outside Boston near the 
caption: The Death of General Warren
  by John Trumbull  McClary (center left) is depicted in Trumbull's famous painting, wearing a white shirt with musket in hand and standing behind the mortally wounded Dr. Warren.[11][failed verification]
exif: {}