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Dromo's Den
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[Up] [Dromo's Den] Alexander Macomb Biography MACOMB,
Alexander (1782-1841). An American soldier, prominent in the War of 1812. He
was born in Detroit, Mich., entered the United States army as a cornet of
cavalry in 1799, and by 1812 had risen to be lieutenant colonel of engineers and
adjutant general of the army. Soon after the outbreak of the War of 1812 he was
transferred to the artillery at his own request, and in 1813, as colonel of the
Third Artillery, distinguished himself at Fort Niagara and Fort George. In
January, 1814, he was promoted to be brigadier general and placed in command of
the northern frontier, along Lake Champlain, and on September 11 of this year,
while McDonough was defeating the English fleet in Plattsburg Bay, he defended
Plattsburg, N. Y., against the attack of a greatly superior English force under
Sir George Provost. In recognition of his services on this occasion he was
promoted to be major general, and received a vote of thanks and a medal from
Congress. After the war he continued in the service as colonel of engineers, and
from 1828 until his death was the commanding general of the United States army.
He published A Treatise on Martial Law and
Courts-Martial as Practiced in the United States (1809) and A Treatise on the Practice of Courts-Martial (1840). Consult
Richards, Memoir of Alexander. Macomb
(New York, 1833). The New International
Encyclopaedia, Vol. XIV
(New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1920)
606.
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