THE TOWN OF MOUNT PLEASANT. 557 



continued undiminished until the arrival of Col. Burr, in the autumn of the 

 year 1778. He took command of the same troops which his predecessor, Col. 

 Littlefield, commanded. At the moment of Col. Burr's arrival, Col. Littlefield 

 had returned from a plundering expedition (for to plunder those called Tories 

 was then deemed lawful) and had brought up horses, cattle, bedding, clothing, 

 and other articles of easy transportation, which he had proposed to distribute 

 among the party; the next day Col. Burr's first act of authority was to seize and 

 to secure all this plunder, and he immediately took measures for- restoring it to 

 the owners. This gave us much trouble, but it was abundantly repaid by the 

 confidence it inspired. He then made known his determination to suppress 

 plundering. The same day he visited all the guards, changed the position, dis- 

 missed some of the officers whom he found totally incompetent, gave new in- 

 structions. On the same day, also, he commenced a register of the names and 

 characters of all who resided near arid below his guards —distinguishing by 

 secret marks the Whig, the timid Whig, the Tory, the horse-thief and those con- 

 cerned in or suspected of giving information to the enemy. He also began a 

 map of the country in the vicinity of the fort — of the roads, bye-roads, paths, 

 creeks, morasses, etc. , which might become hiding-places for the disaffected, or 

 for marauding parties. This map was made by Col. Burr himself, from such 

 materials as he could collect on the spot, but principally from his own observa- 

 tions. He raised and established a corps of horsemen from among the respectable 

 farmers and young men of the country, of tried patriotism, fidelity and courage. 

 These also served as aids and confidential persons, for the transmission of orders. 

 To this corps I attached myself as volunteer, but did not receive pay. He em- 

 ployed discreet and faithful persons, living near the enemy's lines, to watch 

 their motions and give him immediate intelligence. He employed mounted 

 videttes, for the same purpose, directing two of them to proceed together ; so 

 that one might be dispatched, if necessary, with information to the Colonel, 

 while the other might watch the enemy's movements. He established signals 

 throughout the lines ; so that, whether by night or by day, instant notice might 

 be had of an attack or movement of the enemy. He enforced various regulations 

 for concealing his position and force from the enemy. 



The laxity of discipline, which had before prevailed, enabled the enemy fre- 

 quently to employ their emissaries to come within the lines and learn the pre- 

 cise state of our forces, supplies, etc. Col. Burr soon made an end of these dan- 

 gerous intrusions, by prohibiting all persons residing below the lines, except a 

 few whom he selected — such as Parson Barstow, Jacob Smith, and others whose 

 integrity was unimpeachable — from approaching the out-posts. If any one had 

 a complaint or request to make of the Colonel, he procured one or more of the 

 persons he had selected, to come to his quarters on his behalf. This measure 

 prevented frivolous and vexatious applications, and the still more dangerous 

 approach of enemies in disguise. All these measures were entirely new ; and, 

 Within eight or ten days, the whole system appeared to be in complete opera- 

 tion, and the face of things was totally changed. 



A few days after the Colonel's arrival, the house of one Gedney was plundered 

 in the night, and the family abused and terrified. GS-edney sent his son to make 

 a representation of it to the Colonel. The young man, not regarding the orders 

 which had been issued, came to the Colonel's quarters undiscovered by the sen- 



