CHAPTER yill,

THE  WESTOHESTEE,  LINES,

\

OONWTION OF THE  COUNTET BBFOEE  COLONEL BUEE TOOK THB COMMAND—SuPPEESS-

E3 Plundbeing — His Habits as a Soldibe — Dbsteotb the Block Poet —
Love Adventueb by Night — Eesigns his Commission — Testimony of the
Men whom he Commanded—Anecdotes—Inteetiew "with Mes. Abnold at
Paeamus—Effects of the Wak upon his Chaeaotbk and Foetunb.

In January, 1779, Colonel Burr was appointed to a post of
greater importance and difficulty than any he had previously
held, and one in which he acquired his greatest distinction as
a soldier. He was placed in command of the " lines" in West
Chester county. New York, a region lying between the posts of
the British at Kingsbridge, and those of the Americans fifteen
or twenty miles above them.

This district of country, from the day the British were mas¬
ters of the city of New York, was more exposed to the worst
ravages of war than any other portion of the United States.
A gentleman who lived in it during the first five years of the
contest, says that the county was " a scene of the deepest dis¬
tress. From the Croton to Kingsbridge every species of rap¬
ine and lawless violence prevailed. No man went to his bed
but under the apprehension of having his house plundered or
burned, and himself or family massacred before morning, Some,-
under the character of Whigs, plundered the Tories ; while
others, of the latter description, plundered the Whigs. Par¬
ties 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 em¬
issaries and spies of the enemy passed and repassed without in¬
terruption," What added to the evil was, that the lower part
of the county contained a large number of houses of consider-
<tble pretension, the residences of wealthy farmers or wealthiei