On the twenty-second of January, one of the Independent Companies of the City of New York, 1 probably ,( The Bbc-WN Btjffs," commanded by Captain Jonathan Blake, 2 was ordered into the service of the Colony, for the protection of the guns ; but a draft was subsequently made from the Minute-men of the County, to discharge that service, 3 a Captain, a Lieutenant, two Sergeants, a Corporal, fourteen privates, a Guardhouse, and all the surroundings of a permanent outpost having been provided for that easy purpose. 4 It might have been expected that that favored party of White Plains Minute-men would very soon excite feelings of envy among those, surrounding its position, who were not enjoying the feast of fat things which it had secured ; and it was so -- David Barclay, recommended by Stephen Ward, the latter a Tavern-keeper, near where Tuckahoe is, and a deputy in the Provincial Congress, 6 applied for the job of guarding the guns, offering to do so for thirteen pounds per week, which was less than one half the amount which had been expended on the skeleton Company of Minutemen who had previously discharged that duty ; 6 and the offer was promptly accepted.' Jacamiah Allen, who was drilling the spikes from the guns, appears, however, to have been unwilling that any others should poach on his manor; and, very promptly, he underbid Barclay, offering to do the same guard-duty which Varian and Barclay had successively done, the former at a cost of more than twenty-six pounds and the latter at thirteen, for only six pounds, ten shill-