 He fought at the First Battle of Vailele on April 1, 1899 and was subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor along with Private Henry L. Hulbert.Both McNally's and Hulbert's citations incorrectly list them as serving in the Philippines during the time of their distinguished service though they served on , which was never dispatched to fight in the Philippine-American War.McNally joined the Marine Corps from Mare Island, California in December 1897, and retired in January 1915.