Parties of marauders assuming either character, or none, as suited their convenience, indiscriminately assailed both Whigs and Tories. So little vigilance was used on our part, that the emissaries and spies of the enemy passed and repassed without interruption. These calamities

a Thachcr's Military Journal, 185. b Davis's Mem. of Burr, vol, i, 165.

c We are indebted for this important letter to our friend and neighbor, T. R. Randall, LL.D., of tills village. Editor Historical Magazine. Copied from Historical Magazine, new series, vol. ix, No. G. June, 1871. page 284.

THE TOWN OK 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 (lor 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 flrct 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, dismissed some of the officers whom he found totally incompetent, gave new instructions. On the same day, also, he commenced a register of the names and characters of all who resided near and be'.ow his guards-- distinguishing by secret marks the Whig, the timid "Whig, the Tory, the horse-thief and those concerned 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.