Alexander Macomb (1782 - 1841)

Alexander Macomb
General Macomb's official portrait, by Thomas Sully, 1829, in the West Point Museum Art Collection, U.S. Military Academy
Born	(1782-04-03)April 3, 1782 Detroit, Michigan
Died	June 25, 1841(1841-06-25) (aged 59) Washington, D.C.
Buried	Congressional Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1799–1800, 1801–1841
Rank	Major General
Commands held	Army Corps of Engineers Commanding General of the United States Army
Battles/wars	Battle of Plattsburgh
Awards	Congressional Gold Medal
Relations	William H. Macomb (son) Montgomery M. Macomb (grandnephew)

Alexander Macomb (April 3, 1782 – June 25, 1841) was the Commanding General of the United States Army from May 29, 1828 until his death on June 25, 1841. Macomb was the field commander at the Battle of Plattsburgh during the War of 1812 and, after the stunning victory, was lauded with praise and styled "The Hero of Plattsburgh" by some of the American press. He was promoted to Major General for his conduct, receiving both the Thanks of Congress and a Congressional Gold Medal.

Born at British-held Detroit, Macomb was the son of Alexander Macomb and Mary Catherine Navarre.

He moved with his parents to New York City and received a classical education at Newark Academy, in New Jersey.

In 1798, at the age of 16, Macomb joined a New York militia company. In January 1799, with the recommendation of Alexander Hamilton during the French emergency, he was commissioned a Cornet in the Regular Army. In March he was promoted to second lieutenant, and honorably discharged, June 1800.

In February 1801, he was commissioned a second lieutenant, 2d Infantry, serving as secretary to a commission that treated with the Indians of the Southeast.

He was commissioned a first lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers, which was established in 1802 at West Point to constitute a military academy, thereby being one of the first officers to receive formal training there.