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38-476: Fort Gratiot Township was established in 1867. It is named for General Charles Gratiot , the engineer who laid out the fort. According to the United States Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 16.1 square miles (42 km), of which 16.1 square miles (42 km) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km) (0.19%) is water. Fort Gratiot is on the southwestern shore of Lake Huron and

76-431: A Congressional Gold Medal . Born at British-held Detroit in 1782, Macomb was the son of Alexander Macomb , a merchant and fur trader from upstate New York, and Mary Catherine Navarre, who was of ethnic French descent. He moved with his parents to New York City , where his father gained wealth as a land speculator, particularly in the millions of acres of New York land released by the federal government for sale after

114-628: A fur trader in the Illinois country during the American Revolution , and Victoire Chouteau, who was from an important mercantile family. His father became a wealthy merchant, during the early years of St. Louis. After 1796, Charles was raised in the large stone house purchased by his father in St. Louis, near the Mississippi River. He made a career out of being a U.S. Army military engineer, becoming

152-606: A lengthy dispute with War Department officials over benefits, and in 1838 President Martin Van Buren dismissed him for failing to repay government funds that had been entrusted to him. He assigned Robert E. Lee to do engineering in the Mississippi River at St. Louis, Missouri . Gratiot became a clerk in the United States General Land Office from 1840–1855 and died in St. Louis. Gratiot became

190-513: A military academy. He was one of the first officers to receive formal training there. For five years, Macomb directed construction of coastal fortifications in the Carolinas and Georgia. He also established fortifications at Fort Gratiot, Michigan , Chicago, Mackinaw, Prairie du Chien, St. Peter's, and St. Mary's in what was considered the Northwest area - Michigan and Illinois. At the beginning of

228-616: A party to lengthy litigation against the United States government, which was appealed twice to the U.S. Supreme Court . It is said that the General of the Army, Alexander Macomb , was of the opinion that President Martin Van Buren 's actions were too harsh. He married Ann Belin on April 22, 1819. They had two children: Alexander Macomb (American general) Alexander Macomb ( / m ə ˈ k u m / ; April 3, 1782 – June 25, 1841)

266-579: A provision in the 1834 regulations that 'the insignia of the major general commanding in chief should be three stars.' In the same document he sought to define his relationship to the Secretary of War and establish his primacy over the bureau chiefs, including his successor as Chief of Engineers . This was easier said than done. Most issues were not fully resolved until early the next century." He advocated doubling Army strength, increasing enlisted pay, providing relief for some widows and orphans, and regularizing

304-538: Is Registered Site S0418, erected in 1974. It states: Alexander Macomb In 1818 Territorial Governor Lewis Cass proclaimed the third Michigan county to be called Macomb. At that time the young General was Commander of the Fifth Military Department in Detroit. Born in that city in 1782, son of prominent local entrepreneurs, Macomb had entered the U.S. Army in 1799. He had gained national renown and honor during

342-637: Is considered to be part of the Thumb of Michigan , which in turn is a subregion of the Flint/Tri-Cities . Fort Gratiot is a major center of trade for the Blue Water Area, a subregion of the Thumb. The Birchwood Mall and many big box stores are located in Fort Gratiot. As of the census of 2000, there were 10,691 people, 4,076 households, and 2,946 families residing in the township. The population density

380-505: Is memorialized by several monuments. One statue of Alexander Macomb was sculpted by Adolph Alexander Weinman and erected in 1906 in downtown Detroit, Michigan. This statue was made from melted down cannons, and was a notable and monumental task. Another is in downtown Mount Clemens, Michigan , in front of the Circuit Court building at 40 North Gratiot Avenue . Several others exist. Macomb died while in office at Washington, D.C. He

418-603: The Army garrison at West Point during 1810–1811. As General William Henry Harrison 's Chief Engineer in the War of 1812 , he distinguished himself by planning and building Fort Meigs in 1813. He also rebuilt Fort St. Joseph , later renamed Fort Gratiot in his honor. In 1814 he took part in the attack of the Battle of Mackinac Island . He received the Thanks of Congress for his efforts during

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456-669: The French emergency . In March, he was promoted to second lieutenant, and he was honorably discharged in June 1800. In February 1801, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant , 2nd 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

494-537: The War of 1812 as brigadier general in command of the Right Division of the Northern Army, responsible for defending the frontier of northern New York . At the Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11, 1814, with only 1,500 regular troops and some detachments of militia, he was opposed by a British force of 10,531 men under Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost . Macomb's heavily outnumbered troops fell back before

532-504: The Army and Adams bypassed them to offer the post to Macomb. The general's last active service in a theater of war was in the Seminole War in Florida, in 1835. Macomb's tenure as Commanding General was marked by "continuing uncertainty about the responsibilities and authority of his position. To secure his seniority over Scott and Gaines, both two-star brevet major generals, Macomb added

570-591: The Battle of Plattsburgh and the end of the War of 1812, a Congressional Gold Medal honoring Alexander Macomb and his men was struck by Act of Congress (3 Stat. 247), to wit: Obverse : MAJOR GENERAL ALEXANDER MACOMB. Bust of Gen. Macomb, in uniform, facing the right FÜRST. F( ecit ). indicates the engraver Moritz Fuerst (1782–1840), who designed several medals of 1812 heroes for the Philadelphia mint. The bust of Macomb found on

608-541: The British columns in a series of encounters as Prevost advanced towards the American defensive works. In the weeks leading up to the battle, Macomb, knowing full well he would be greatly outnumbered, worked with his men to move trees and create fake roads; in order to obscure the genuine roads and lead the British into dead-end traps far from the three nearby American forts (a maneuver Macomb called abattis ). The British attack

646-572: The Chief Engineer of the United States Corps of Engineers, and supervised construction of a number of important projects. He was dismissed by William Henry Harrison, which led to a protracted controversy. President Thomas Jefferson personally appointed him (and 3 other young Missouri men) as a United States Military Academy cadet in July 1804. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York ,

684-529: The Congressional Medal, however, is reminiscent of the 1809 portrait of Macomb by Saint-Mémin (1770–1852), in which Macomb is wearing the undressed coat of blue with black velvet collar and cuffs typical of an Engineering officer. Reverse : RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS NOVEMBER 3. 1814. The American army repulsing the British troops, who are striving to cross the Saranac river. To the left, Plattsburgh in flames; to

722-692: The Iroquois nations had been largely forced from the state into exile in Ontario following British defeat in the American Revolutionary War. The son 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 , he was commissioned a Cornet in the Regular Army during

760-702: The War of 1812 for his victory at Plattsburgh in September 1814 over a far superior force of British invaders. Later as Chief Army Engineer he promoted the building of military roads in the Great Lakes area. From May 1828 to his death in June 1841, Macomb served as Commander in Chief of the Army. He is buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington D.C. His birthday, April 3, is honored as Macomb County Heritage Day. He

798-513: The War of 1812, in July 1812 Macomb was promoted at the age of 30 to colonel of the newly organised 3rd Artillery Regiment . He was in command of the Sacketts Harbor garrison. Under Winfield Scott , he took part in the Capture of Fort George . He was part of James Wilkinson 's failed St. Lawrence expedition and commanded his brigade at the Battle of Point Iroquois . He won acclaim during

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836-423: The age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02. In the township the population was spread out, with 24.7% under

874-466: The age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males. The median income for a household in the township was $ 50,736, and the median income for a family was $ 55,726. Males had a median income of $ 43,268 versus $ 25,667 for females. The per capita income for

912-503: The expedition. The British invaders returned to Canada. Macomb was showered with praise and styled "the Hero of Plattsburgh" by some in the American press . He was promoted to major general for his conduct at this battle, and received the formal thanks of Congress and a Congressional Gold Medal . When Major General Jacob Brown , the Army's commanding general , died in February 1828, Macomb

950-507: The month it took to make the necessary repairs, the couple's remains were held at the Smithsonian ; they were viewed by several of the general's descendants, including his great-great-great granddaughter. After the $ 24,000 repairs were completed by the Department of Veterans Affairs , their remains were re-interred on July 17, 2008. The monument to Alexander Macomb is "one of the most unusual in

988-542: The nation." During the 1820s, Macomb was a member of the Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences , who counted among their members former presidents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams and many prominent men of the day, including well-known representatives of the military, government service, medical and other professions. His youngest son was Commodore William H. Macomb . In World War II,

1026-510: The officer retirement and replacement system. In 1840 the Army Corps of Engineers adopted the castle uniform insignia and first described the Corps of Engineers' distinctive Essayons button (Motto in French, meaning: "Let us try"). Macomb was succeeded by Major General Winfield Scott , who had worked "hard at mending fences in the intervening 13 years   ..." within the Army. In 1809, Macomb

1064-497: The right, naval battle on Lake Champlain; in the distance, Cumberland Head. Exergue: BATTLE OF PLATTSBURGH September 11. 1814. FÜRST. F( ecit ). This was one of 27 Gold Medals authorized by Congress arising from the War of 1812. Alexander Macomb is recognized by a Michigan Historical Marker installed at the corner of Gratiot Avenue and Macomb Street in Mount Clemens, Michigan , the county seat of Macomb County, named for him. It

1102-729: The settlement. See Published Works and Further Reading, infra . In addition, Macomb is recognized as an artist. His painting Detroit as Seen from the Canadian Shore in 1821, a watercolor and pencil work, is held by the Detroit Institute of Arts . Macomb was the first of five Commanding Generals (Chiefs of Staff after the 1903 reorganization) who had held Engineer commissions early in their careers. All had transferred to other branches before being appointed to this top position. The others were George B. McClellan , Henry W. Halleck , Douglas MacArthur , and Maxwell D. Taylor . Following

1140-456: The township was $ 25,485. About 4.2% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over. Charles Gratiot Charles Chouteau Gratiot (August 29, 1786 – May 18, 1855) was born in St. Louis , Spanish Upper Louisiana Territory , now the present-day State of Missouri . He was the son of Charles Gratiot, Sr. ,

1178-513: The war. He served as Chief Engineer, 1817–1818, in Michigan Territory followed by assignment as the superintending engineer, 1819–1828, for the construction of defenses at Hampton Roads , Virginia . On May 24, 1828, Gratiot was appointed colonel of engineers, brevet brigadier general, and Chief Engineer . For ten years he administered an expanding program of river, harbor, road, and fortification construction. He also engaged in

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1216-468: Was 664.7 inhabitants per square mile (256.6/km). There were 4,334 housing units at an average density of 269.5 per square mile (104.1/km). The racial makeup of the township was 95.43% White , 1.46% Black, 0.26% Native American , 1.34% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.52% from other races , and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population. There were 4,076 households, out of which 32.7% had children under

1254-583: Was diffused by these efforts. The long narrow lines of marching soldiers were unable to easily stop and about-face. They became entangled in the narrow false road maze, where they became targets for American ambush. The British were about to launch an assault on the American defenses when the news came through of the defeat of the British naval squadron on Lake Champlain . Prevost needed the British Lake Champlain squadron to supply his planned advance into Vermont. Without it, he had no choice but to abandon

1292-476: Was originally buried at the Presbyterian Burying Ground , but in 1850 his remains were disinterred and he was reburied at Congressional Cemetery . His remains, and those of his wife, Catherine, were disinterred again in June 2008 so that the brick-lined burial vault beneath their 6-ton (5,400 kg), 13-foot-tall (4.0 m) marble monument could be repaired to prevent its impending collapse. During

1330-535: 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

1368-468: Was the author of a seminal book (republished in 2006) on martial law and the conduct of courts-martial . It was the first book written on American procedures. During this period he was serving as a judge-advocate general (JAG) in the Army. He published a revised, updated book solely on courts martial in 1809. He also wrote a play on the siege of Detroit by Ottawa chief Pontiac . It features Macomb's maternal grandfather, Robert Navarre, who helped defend

1406-616: Was the first school of engineering in the United States and graduated its first class in 1802. Gratiot was a member of the Class of 1806, the fourth graduating class, and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers . He became a captain in 1808 and assisted Alexander Macomb in constructing fortifications in Charleston, South Carolina . He returned to his alma mater in 1810 to be commander of

1444-431: Was the senior brigadier general on the Army register, although, as the Army's chief of engineers , he was paid only at the rank of a colonel. President John Quincy Adams promoted him to commanding general of the Army with the rank of major general. The Army's two serving brigadier generals — Winfield Scott and Edmund P. Gaines — had been vying for the position. Their quarrels over seniority had scandalized

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