Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-10
THE RIVALS.
A Story of the Times of Aaron Burr and
Alexander Hamilton.
BY JERE CLEMENS.
CHAPTER TX.


Close to thy throat the pointed bay
onet laid,
The levePd muskets circle round tiny
breast,
In hands as steeled to do the deadly
rest"
The suggestion of Billings was not
lost upon Hamilton; and in few days
Colonel Burr received notice that his
application for permission to make an
attack upon Staten Island had been re-
iected. Afterwards the mind of the
commander-in-ch chief appeared to under-
go a change, and Lord Stirling was sent
to perform the service Burr had sug-
gested. Notice of Lord Strings de-
signs was communicated to the British
commander, through whose agency the
reader will be at no loss to determine
and the enterprise in consequence prov
ed to be a failure. Colonel Burr, thus
cut off from one road to distinction
soon found another. The cool courage
and untiring energy which he had ex-
hibited on the night of Washingtons
retreat from Long Island had not been
overlooked or forgotten and to that ne
owned his appointment to situation
where such qualities were Indispensable
in the commanding officer. Ten miles
from the main camp at Valley Forge
there was a pass called the gulf. II the
enemy should leave the city at any
time during the winter, to attack him.
1t was from this point that Washington
expected to receive the earliest notlce
of his movements. Accordingly, ne
posted a strong body of militia at the
pass, instructing the officer in command
to keep patrols and spies continually
on the alert, so that he might be in
stantly apprised of any movement IN
force Sir William Howe might attempt
to make. The optics Of these militia
men were unfortunately endowed with
magnifying properties whenever they
we're required to look at "red-coat,
and the consequence was, that to their
vision every little foraging party as
sumed the proportions of an army, and
the commander-in-ch chief was continual
ly annoyed by false alarms, some OF
which caused him to draw out his whole
force, and expose them needlessly to the
bitter blasts of winter. After various
attempts to correct the evil, General
McDougall advised him to send Colonel
Burr to the gulf, and withdraw all the
officers superior TO him in rank, so that
the whole direction Of matters should
devolve on him. This advice accorded
so well with Washington's own estimate
of Burr's fitness for the place that IL
was promptly adopted and orders were
at once issued to carry it into effect.
1t is probable that Hamilton made no
objection to the arrangement. since II
seemed to furnish his rival with little
chance for increased distinction.
Placed again in an independent COM
mand, untrammeled by other than
mere general orders, Colonel Burr de-
voted himself to the duties that de-
volved upon him. His activity knew no
pause His. vigilance never slumbered.
He was always in the right place eX-
actly at the right time.
Knowing full we'll the Importance OF
discipline at all times, and particularly
under such circumstances, his first
care was to establish a rigid system
which he enforced with unflinching de-
termination. Heretofore the eXcesses
of the militia had been winked at, un-
der the impression that there were no
other means of keeping them in the
hot
they had become more formidable To
the people of the country than to the
enemy Colonel Burr believed that
they could be reduced to as strict sub
ordination as regular troops, and he
determined that they should be. No
drill was omitted on account of the
severity of the weather, as had pre-
viously been the custom. No excuse
was accepted for the performance
of any duty, and no criminal was al
lowed to go unpunished. The men
long accustomed to the license of free
hooters, broke into open murmurs
which grew louder daily, as one after
another suffered the penalties incurred
by their predatory habits. About this
time. James Billings rode over to the
Gulf, and was observed during the day
in close conversation with stalwart
soldier who had been severely punished
for some misdemeanOr the preceding
day When they parted, the soldiers
pocket was heavier by several pieces
of gold. though what had been agreed
upon between them could only be infer
red from the events which followed. A!
soon as night came, the soldier, urged
on by the strong incentives of gain anc
revenge cautiously passed from hut tt
hut. stirring up the worst men at the
post, reminding them of the punish
ments they had received, and pointing
out to them that there was no hope o.
any relaxation of the stern rules Il
which they were subjected, except IL
the death of their present commander
In that army, as in every other, there
were abundance of men ready for an!
deed of violence, upon even less provo
cation than that which they chose tt
consider had been offered; and, durinE
that mght ana the next udy, the Coi
spiracy came to a head. For the pur
pose of dividing the responsibility, /
was determined that when the colone
made his appearance at the evening
parade. a dozen muskets should be dis
charged at him at once AS the hou
approached, one of the number grey
nervous and disclosed the plot To ar
rest and place the mutineers in irons
was an obvious mode of avoiding tn
danger: but Colonel Burr regarde
this as temporary eXpedient, which
however it might succeed at the time
would have little effect in preventin
other mutinies in the future. He wish
ed to give them a more impressive les
son. With this view, he caused all IN
suspected soldiers to be detailed for ia
tigue duty and while they were thu
engaged, secretly drew the charge
from their muskets. When the hou
for evening parade came, instead OF ap
preaching them in front, ne came