General Alexander Smyth

General Smyth was born in Ireland and came to America at the age of ten with his father a parish rector. They settled in Virginia where he later passed the state's bar exam becoming a lawyer, he also was elected as a representative in the lower house. As a colonel he was ordered to Washington in 1811 to "prepare a system of discipline for the army". Within three weeks of the declaration of war he was promoted to inspector general and ordered to the Niagara Frontier.