| William McBryar | |
| Birth Date: | 14 February 1861 |
| Birth Place: | Elizabethtown, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Placeofburial: | Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, U.S. |
| Placeofburial Label: | Place of burial |
| Allegiance: |  United States |
| Serviceyears: | 1887–1900 1905 |
| Rank: | First Lieutenant |
| Unit: | 10th Cavalry Regiment 25th Infantry Regiment 8th U. S. Volunteer Infantry 49th U.S. Volunteer Infantry 9th Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles: | Apache Wars |
| Awards: | Medal of Honor |
William McBryar (February 14, 1861 – March 8, 1941) was a Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army and a recipient of America's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Cherry Creek Campaign in Arizona Territory.
William McBryar was born February 14, 1861, in Elizabethtown, North Carolina to Rose Black. McBryar attended St. Augustine's Normal College starting in 1883 and entered the collegiate program in 1885.[1] On his individual service report, his listed "physics, political [economy], science of government, sociology" as areas of professional or scientific study and investigation other than military.[2] He also wrote that he studied "Latin and Spanish" and was able to speak Spanish. He left college one year prior to graduating and moved to New York City. There he was recorded on the census as a laborer.
McBryar enlisted in the 10th Cavalry on January 3, 1887, for a period of five years[3] and requested assignment on the frontier. A Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army, he received America's highest military decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions during the March 7, 1890, Cherry Creek Campaign in Arizona Territory while serving as a sergeant in Company K of the 10th Cavalry Regiment. On that day, he participated in an engagement in Arizona where he "[d]istinguished himself for coolness, bravery and marksmanship while his troop was in pursuit of hostile Apache Indians." For his actions, Sergeant McBryar was awarded the Medal of Honor two months later, on May 15, 1890.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company K, 10th U.S. Cavalry. Place and date: Salt River, Arizona, 7 March 1890. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Birth: 14 February 1861, Elizabethtown, N.C. Date of issue: 15 May 1890.
Citation:
He reenlisted in the 25th Infantry and was deployed to the Spanish American War, serving with distinction at the Battle of El Caney, Cuba.
Capt E. A. Edwards, Capt, 25th Infantry wrote to the Adjutant General State of North Carolina in a May 30, 1898, stating
A second letter furnished to McBryar from 1LT V.A. Caldwell in 1898 reads
For his gallantry, he received a commission as a First Lieutenant in the 8th U. S. Volunteer Infantry. A letter from the Adjutant General's Office, Washington dated September 7, 1898, to Col Huggins, Fort Thomas, Kentucky, states "McBryar, Goings and Gaither this day commissioned."[4] LT McBryar accepted via Western Union Telegraph on September 13, 1898.[5]
McBryar was sworn in as a first lieutenant in the 8th U.S. Volunteer Infantry September 22, 1898, at Fort Thomas, Kentucky.[6] His oath of office reads:
1st Lieut. Wm. McBryar, 8th U.S. Vols., requests to be appointed in the 9th Vol. Infantry, as his regiment is about to be mustered out. McBryar got the medal of honor for gallantry in action against the Apaches March 8, 1890, and that and his gallantry at San Juan, secured him his present commission. He has hardly served long enough as a commissioned officer to reimburse him for his outfit, but the trouble is that we have a number of similar applications, and the few remaining immune regiments will not afford vacancies enough for more than one or two, and they are likely to be mustered out any day. His case appears certainly to be as deserving as any, but the best, that can be done is to keep him on the waiting list until a vacancy occurs, and then resubmit the case. In one respect he is better off than some other applicants, inasmuch as the expiration of his present commission he reverts to his position as Sergeant in the regular Army, and his service in the Vols. is credited in his longevity.
He accepted a commission as a 2LT in the 49th U.S. Volunteer Infantry and served with Company M, Piat, Luzon, Philippines during the Philippine–American War. In May 1900 he led a group of soldiers that captured an enemy guerilla unit in Cagayan.[7] He was mustered out with his unit on June 1, 1900, at Presidio, California.[8]
McBryar reenlisted in 1905. A Declaration for Original Invalid Pension filed in the state of North Carolina, county of Guilford states
On this 8th day of June A. D. one thousand nine hundred and eleven personally appeared before me, a notary public within and for the county and State aforesaid, William McBryar, aged 50 years, a resident of Greensboro, county of Guilford resident of Greensboro, State of North Carolina, who being sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical person who was ENROLLED at Hickory, NC under the name of William McBryar on the 22d day of February, 1905, as a private in Troop G, 9th Cavalry (U.S.A.) and was DISCHARGED at Fort Leavenworth, Kans on the 19th day of December, 1905; that his personal description at enlistment was a follows: Age 42 years; height, 5 feet 5 1/2 inches; complexion [illegible] light; hair, grey; eyes, Bro #1. That while a member of the organization aforesaid, in the service and in the line of his duty at Fort Leavenworth, Kans. on or about the 22d day of March, 1905 he contracted rheumatism in his legs; that said rheumatism was of a mild nature at first, but is gradually growing worse, and is so severe at times as to render him unable to walk except by the aid of [illegible]. That he was treated in hospital as follows: at Fort Leavenworth, Kans. In hospital as stated above only. That he was employed in the military or naval service prior to February, 1905. That he has not been employed in the military or naval service since December 19, 1905.
He was discharged from the 9th Cavalry to accept a position in the U.S. Civil Service.
He married Sallie B. Waugh on December 10, 1906, in Greensboro, North Carolina[9] by Reverend J.G. Walker.[10] A record is on file at the Greensboro, North Carolina Court House. This was the first marriage for both McBryar and Waugh, and no children were born to this union. Waugh died in 1928.
McBryar married again, to Lucy E. Sweatt of Lynch, Kentucky on July 13, 1933. But, this marriage failed and ended in divorce on July 20, 1938.[11]
McBryar worked as a watchman at the Arlington National Cemetery in 1909.[12]
After returning to his farm for two years, McBryar taught from 1911-1912 as a military instructor at Saint Paul's Normal and Industrial School near Lawrenceville, Virginia, a school historically for Black students when systems were segregated.
By 1914 he had migrated to the Northwest. He began working for the Federal Penitentiary Service at the federal prison on McNeil Island in Washington state on March 20, 1914.[13]
McBryar had several jobs after this.[12] He taught at a North Carolina school from 1924 – 1928.[14] He attended school for four years. McBryar returned to teaching again in 1935.
He graduated in 1934 at the age of 73 from Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial Teachers College, a land grant and historically black college, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.[15]
The following year he wrote this essay, which was published in The Bulletin of the school in May 1935:
He died at age 80 at Mercy Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania of cerebral thrombosis with arteriosclerosis as a contributory cause.[16] He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia.[17] On December 16, 2017, members of Tennessee State University's Alumni Association took part in the annual Wreaths Across America and laid a memorial wreath at McBryar's grave.
A historical marker in Elizabethtown, North Carolina marks the site of McBryar's childhood home. A second historical marker was unveiled at Tennessee State University in March 2018.[18]
In 2009, Topps baseball cards produced a series of cards highlighting Medal of Honor recipients. LT William McBryar was featured on card #11.
In 2017, Northwest Territorial Mint produced 100 commemorative coins with McBryar's likeness. They were distributed to veterans at Tennessee State University's Veterans Day ceremony on November 10, 2017.
Three portraits of McBryar are known to exist, an oil wash by artist Jon Kardamis, an oil painting by Samuel Dunson, and a drawing McBryar on horseback by Brandon Van Leer. All three belong to a private collection. Two are on temporary display at Tennessee State University. One is located at the Concierge in Phoenix, Arizona.