PLATTSBURGH, organised April 4th, 1785; centrally distant N. from New York 319, from Albany 164, and from Plattsburg village 5, miles; surface on the E. level or gently undulating, becoming hilly towards the W.; soil clay loam, along the lake, and its culture in an improving condition; drained E. by the Saranac river flowing centrally through it, and by Salmon river near the southern boundary. Plattsburg and Cadyville are villages; the latter lies in the N. W. upon the left bank of the Saranac 9 miles W. from Plattsburg and has a saw mill, forge with 2 fires, 1 store, tannery and 12 dwellings. Plattsburg, incorporated village and seat of justice of the county and port of entry for the Champlain collection district, at the mouth of the Saranac river, on Cumberland bay, N, La. 449 42 and Long. 3° 32' E.; having the distances above given from New York and Albany; 112 miles N. from Whitehall, 120 E. from Edensburg, by the usual road, and 97 in a direct line; 13 N. of Port Kent, and 21 § of the state line; contains the court house, prison, and county clerk's office of stone, 2 printing presses, each issuing a weekly paper, a lyceum; 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist, 1 Episcopal, and 1 Catholic churches, an academy, 1 grist, and 3 saw mills, 2 cotton, and 1 woollen factories, 2 extensive hotels, one on the temperance plan, 1 tavern, 1 tannery, 14 stores, 6 groceries, 2 mills, sawing marble, obtained from Isle de la Motte in the lake, a very extensive comb factory, machine shop, pocket furnace, and 220 dwellings. This village felt sensibly and advantageously the expenditures during the late war, and though twice captured by the enemy, it grew rapidly under the stimulus it received, and when that was withdrawn was thrown upon the natural resources of the country for support, and its condition for some years was not a thriving one. The bank with a capital of $300,000, suffered under the change and became insolvent. In 1836, however, the Clinton county bank was chartered with a capital of $200,000. The Saranac affords a valuable water power; much of which is unemployed in and near the village. The village lies chiefly W. of the Saranac river and around the head of Cumberland bay. This is the scene of the victory of McDonough and Macomb, over the British naval and land forces, under Commodore Downie and Sir George Prevost. Here the American Commodore waited at anchor the arrival of the British fleet, which passed Cumberland Head, about 8, in the morning of the 11th September, 1814. The first gun from the fleet was the signal for commencing the attack on land. Sir George Prevost, with about 14,000 men, furiously assaulted the defences of the town, whilst the battle raged between the fleets, in full view of the armies. General Macomb with about 3000 men, mostly undisciplined, foiled the repeated assaults of the enemy, until the capture of the British fleet, after an action of two hours, obliged him to retire with the loss of 2,500 men, and a large portion of his baggage and ammunition. The American force, on the lake, of 86 guns and 826 men was opposed to one of 95 guns and 1,050 men. Commodore Downie was killed in the engagement. He was a brave and skilful officer, and disapproved of the method of attack on the American flotilla.

A short distance from the village, are the ruins of the cantonment and breast works occupied by General Macomb and his troops. A mile N., is shown the house held by General Prevost, as his head quarters, during the siege; between which and the village the marks of cannon-shot on the trees and other objects are still visible. Farther onward about 5 miles, on a hill overlooking the village of Beckmantown, is the spot where a sanguinary engagement took place between the American and British troops, which resulted in the death of the British Col. Wellington and several men of both armies.

McDonough's Farm, granted by the legislature of Vermont, lies on Cumberland Head, nearly east of Plattsburg. In the church yard is a monument to the memory of Commodore Downie; and several of the officers who fell at the same period, on the American as on the English part, repose side by side. Tradition, alone, distinguishes their graves. Schuyler's Falls and N. Plattsburg are post offices.

Gazetteer of the State of New York, Comprehending Its Colonial History, General Geography, Geology, and Internal Improvements, Its Political State, a Minute Description of Its Several Counties, Towns, and Villages, Statistical Tables, Exhibiting the Area, Improved Lands, Population, Stock, Taxes, Manufactures, Schools, and Cost of Public Instruction, in Each Town : with a Map of the State, and a Map of Each County, and Plans of the Cities and Principal Villages – Thomas Francis Gordon, 1836, Page 399-400



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