In order ento keep the enemy's spies at a distance, lie issued and rigidly the forced an order that nobody from below should personally pass line of posts on any pretext, all who had business above being required to first communicate with headquarters by some well known resident of the immediate country, especially designated for that service. On the other hand, he always had the most perfect knowledge Only two attempts were made by of everything happening below. the enemy to surprise the American guards while he was in command, and both were total failures. Yet Burr's system was not merely defensive and precautionary. Without risking his men in foolish spectacular enterprises, he grasped every opportunity for profitable aggression. Once, when Governor Tryon inarched through our county with 2,000 men on an expedition to Connecticut, Burr, having previous knowledge of the movement, sent word to Put nam in Connecticut to proceed against him in front, while he would fall upon his rear. This well-laid plan, if it had been carried AAROX BURR. out, would probably have resulted in the capture of Tryon; but Putnam was unable to co-operate properly. Burr, however, performed his part so well that Tryon beat a hasty retreat, leaving most of his cattle and other plunder behind. The crowning achievement of Burr's command was the destruction of a British fort and the capture of nearly all its garrison at de Lancey's Mills (West Farms) -- a feat performed, like Wayne's storming of Stony Point, without tiring a musket. This fort was a block structure, built by Colonel de Lancey to protect his outposts at Morrisania. Burr, resolving to take it, reconnoitered it carefully, noting every feature of the ground and measuring with his eye the height of the port-holes, lie then prepared ladders, canteens filled with inflammables, rolls of port-fire, and hand-grenades.