Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-13

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lhabitants had caused 1t to be overrun
now by Wings. now by Tories, and now
by armed banditti who served what
ever party promised at the time the
greatest amount of plunder and the
greatest license to cruelty. Scenes OF
Irapine and lawless violence increased
to such a degree, toward the close Of
177S, that, in the language of an eyer
witness, mo man went to his bed but
lunder the apprehension Of having his
house plundered or burned, and him
self or family massacred before morn
ling" The British forces in New York
made frequent incursions into the
country, and 1t was at all times overrun
by their spies and emisaries. To coun-
teract these evils and punish these out
RACES, various American officers had at
different times been stationed upon the
lines of Westchester; but all had been
either outwitted and cut up by the en-
emy, or had imbibed the universal pro-
clivity for plunder and murder, and
become themselves no better than ma
rauders. General McDougall. who had
taken command of the district of coun-
! try of which Westchester constituted
part, resolved that this state of things
should come to an end-that the plum
dering parties from New York should
be met and driven back-that the in
habitants who remained peacefully at
home should be protected, and the
British emissaries detected and pun
ished. In seeking for an officer upon
whom he could fully rely to carry out
his energetic purposes, he disregarded
the claims Of rank, and, overlooking
several others who imagined they were
entitled to n preference, he called Col
onel Burr from Haverstraw, where he
was then stationed, and appointed him
to the command of the lines from the
Hudson to the Sound, a distance of
fourteen miles-his headquarters being
at White Plains, near the center. In
his orders, General McDougall gave
still further proof of his unbounded
confidence in the va!or, the discretion,
the activity, the humanity, and the JUS
tice of Colonel Burr. After enumerat-
ing many things to which he wished
particular attention should be paid, he
added, in reference to all doubtful
cases. authorize you to he sole judge.
Thus at the age of twerty-three, Col
onel Burr was vested With almost un-
limited powers in the comm md Of one
of the most important points in Amer
lea. After events vindicated the choice
of his general, and proved that the
confidence reposed in him was not
misplaced.
On the day Of his arrival at his fu-
ture headquarters, he found his pred
ecessor preparing to set out on an
expedition whose ostensibe object was
to watch the movements Of the enemy
near New Rochelle. Ill advised and
injudicious as Colonel Burr regarded
this enterprise, he did not feel au-
thorized to interfere, further than TO
enjoin upon Colonel Littlefield strict
IC6dl VI iol lilt ii6ito VI piopSiNyb
careful observance of military disci-
pline on the march. The scouting par
ty were gone the whole night, and the
next morning, after Colonel Burr had
formally assumed the command, he was
mortified by seeing them come into the
post loaded with plunder. The license
Of the times and of the place had made
robbery so much a matter of course,
that there was no attempt at conceal
ment. The stolen articles were openly
deposited i'm a heap to wait an equi-
table distribution among the robbers.
At this sight Colonel Burrs feel
ings of delicacy toward his pre-
decessor vanished. The whole prop
erty brought in was unhesitatingly
seized and placed under a guard of his
own selection. Regarding the COM
manding officer as really the most
guilty of the party, he inflicted no pun
ishment upon the men, but instituted
searching inquiries to ascertain from
whom the property was taken; and
when this was done, he ordered its i'm
mediate restoration to the real owners.
without any discrimination between
Wings and Tories. At the same time,
he distinctly intimated to officers and
men that a license to rob was not to
he found in the military code, as he
understood it. and clearly informed
them that offenders in that line would
hereafter be subjected to condign pun
ishment Nor was he content to pause
here. During that day he rode to ev-
cry post. repeating his orders and in
structions at each one. and giving as
surances of protection to the peaceful
inhabitants as he went.
There were among the troops on the
lines of Westchester some who had
served under or near Colonel Burr
in former campaigns. These old SOL
diers knew that he meant what he said.
and would perform to the letter what
ever he promised or threatened, and
not only dismissed all idea of indulg-
ing i'm any further license themselves,
but prepared to aid their commander
i'm his efforts to repress 1t In others.
The people of the country, however,
had heard so many solemn promises of
the same kind, and had been so often
deceived, that they distrusted his pro-
fessions, and doubted his ability, If he
had the WILL to protect them; while
the militia, who composed the larger
part of his force. had long been so much
accustomed to have their own way.
that they looked almost in deriSion up
on any attempt to restrain them from
the exercise of their favorite pursuits.
Colonel Burr vas perfectly aware of
the fears Of the people and the in
credulity of the militia, and calmly
awaited a fair opportunity to remove
both.
In the mean time. i'm order TO pre-
vent the intrusion of the enemy's spies,
| he issued an order that 10 person from
below should pass his lines on any
IprcteXt whatever. Their complaints, If
they had any. and their cOmmunica-
tions. whatever they might be, were to