Selecting nights when he knew that he could safely absent himself from the lines, he left the headquarters at White Plains in his usual manner, as though going on a tour of the posts, attended by several of his men, upon whose secrecy he could depend. He rode across country to Tarrytown, where a boat was waiting. His men threw his horse, tied its legs together, and placed it in the boat. On the opposite shore the faithful animal was released from its bonds, and bestriding it Burr was soon in the arms of his love. He was back at headquarters before dawn. He made two of these visits.

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

The severe labors which he imposed upon himself while commanding in Westchester County shattered his health, and on the 10th of .March, ITT!), in a letter to Washington, he resigned his commission in the army. The latter accepted it with the observation that he " not only regretted the loss of a good officer, but the cause which made his resignation necessary." It may be remarked that Washington and Burr were not congenial souls. The great commander, while perfectly recognizing young Burr's abilities, had the penetration to see his defects as a man; and Burr had little love for Washington, and indeed was mixed up in the Conway-Gates cabal against him, although too youthful an officer to play any active part in that affair. Barton laments Burr's untimely retirement from the American army, and complains of Washington's cold treatment of him. He declares that Burr's military character was such-- especially as demonstrated by his services in the Neutral Ground-- that if his lot had been cast in the armies of France under the eye of Napoleon he would have become a marshal of the Empire. In a history of Westchester County it would be ungracious to find fault with any praise of him on soldierly grounds that his most ardent eulogists have penned.