COLONEL MELANCTON SMITH

                    Colonel Smith was the commander of the 29th regiment at Fort Moreau, the principal garrison at Plattsburgh during the

                    battle in 1814.  He was also the first editor of the newspaper Press Republican.  The home of Col. Smith was a handsome

                    brick mansion of three and one-half storeys, constructed with hand-wrought nails.  (Built probably in 1809).  It was on the

                    south corner of Brinkerhoff and Margaret Streets, a lot later known as "Customs House Square."  The house, occupied

                    by General Prevost and British officers during the siege,  "pierced by bullets and balls fired from the American works

                    in 1814 which remained embedded as praiseworthy scars".  Col. Smith died in 1818 and his funeral, at the Presbyterian

                    Church was with full military Masonic honors, attended by the 29th Regiment.  The soldiers honored their former commander

                    by firing volleys.  These soldiers were called from duty in building a new road called Military Turnpike.  The house was

                    sold to the government in 1858, and was demolished to make way for a Customs House and Post Office.