CHARACTERS

Brigadier General Alexander Macomb

Macomb was one of those rare breed of 1812 generals who were both good administrators and capable leaders. He wrote the manual for conducting court martials in the US Army.

Macomb was given command of the 3rd Artillery Regiment on July 6, 1812 and spent the first year of the war with the garrison at Sackett's harbor.

He saw his first action at the battle of Ft. George, but was then transferred to the Army of the North. He successful fought several engagements including La Colle Mill. When the bulk of the forces in the Army of the North were transferred back to the army of the Centre, Macomb was left in command of Plattsburg. With 1,500 effective regulars and a handful of militia he stood against 10,000 British regulars in September of 1814. Chances are he would have been driven off, but the naval victory on Lake Champlain forced the British to withdraw. Just staying in place against such odds, without running up the white flag, puts Macomb head and shoulders above most of the other US generals in the War of 1812.

In later life, when Scott and Gaines fought each other as to who should command the US Army, Congress promoted Macomb to the position. He commanded the Army for 16 years as a soft spoken and more than able administrator.