American Historical Ephemera and Photography

Warrant "To David McClery a Sergeant in Merrimack Company" to "Warn all the Trennin [Training] Band and Alarm List Men in your District to meet at the Meeting House in sd. Town on Monday the Twenty Seventh Day of this instant April at Two O Clock After Noon With Arms Ammunition and Accoutriments [sic] According to Law & in Order to be viewed ...." 1p, approx. 8 1/4 x 6 3/4 in. (creasing, toning). Docketed on verso "Pursuant to the Within Warrant I Have Warned the Persons Named Therein To meet at the Time & place Within Menchaned [sic]" and signed by David McClery as Sergeant. "Merrimack [Hillsborough County, New Hampshire], April 27th 1778."

A "Training Band," also known as Minutemen, were militia companies comprised of local citizen-soldiers that fought in the American Revolution. After the Declaration of Independence, a new militia system became necessary, and in September 1776 an act was passed in New Hampshire "for forming and regulating the Militia within the State of New-Hampshire, in New-England." This act provided for two classes of soldiers —a Training Band and an Alarm List. Sergeant David McClery (sometimes McClary or McClerey, 1742-1823), fought as a private in Stark's 1st New Hampshire Regiment at the Battle of Bunker Hill; he returned to New Hampshire following the war (not to be confused with Captain David McCleary of Londonderry, New Hampshire, KIA Battle of Bennington).