McDougall, Alexander (1732–1786)

Scottish-born US revolutionary, soldier, and politician. As a founder of the Sons of Liberty who took the lead in prewar agitation, he presided over the famous mass meeting in the ‘Fields’ in 1774 that called for New York to send delegates to the First Continental Congress. Appointed colonel of the first New York regiment in 1775, and later a brigadier and major-general in 1777, he played a major role in the war, relieving Benedict Arnold as commander of West Point.

McDougall was born in Islay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, and emigrated to America with his family in 1738. There he commanded two privateers (1756–63). He was an educated merchant and came to public attention by issuing a broadside attacking the New York General Assembly in 1769; sued for libel, then jailed (1770–71), he attracted a major radical following. He represented New York in the Continental Congress (1781–82, 1784–85), and was an organizer and president of the Bank of New York.