Robinson had emigrated from Scotland to Virginia at the request of Scott’s grandfather, who employed him as a private tutor in his family.  There were two other students in Mr. Robinson’s office with Scott—­Thomas Ruffin and John F. May.  Ruffin became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina, and May the leading lawyer in southern Virginia.  After he had received his license to practice he rode the circuit, and was engaged in a number of causes.  He was present at the celebrated trial of Aaron Burr for treason, and was greatly impressed with Luther Martin, John Wickham, Benjamin Botts, and William Wirt, the leading lawyers in the case.  Here he also met Commodore Truxton, General Andrew Jackson, Washington Irving, John Randolph, Littleton W. Tazewell, William B. Giles, John Taylor of Caroline, and other distinguished persons.

Aaron Burr was a native of Newark, N.J., and was the grandson of the celebrated Jonathan Edwards.  He graduated at Princeton in September, 1772, and studied law, but in 1775 joined the American army near Boston.  Accompanied Colonel Benedict Arnold in the expedition to Quebec, and acquired such reputation that he was made a major; afterward joined General Washington’s staff, and subsequently was an aid to General Putnam.  Promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel, he commanded a detachment which defeated the British at Hackensack, and distinguished himself at Monmouth.  Burr became Vice-President on the election of Jefferson as President, and was involved in a quarrel with Alexander Hamilton, and killed him in a duel at Weehawken, N.J., July 7, 1804.  This affair was fatal to his future prospects.  In 1805 he floated in a boat from Pittsburg to New Orleans.  His purpose was supposed to be to collect an army and conquer Mexico and Texas, and establish a government of which he should be the head.  He purchased a large tract of land on the Wachita River, and made other arrangements looking to the consummation of his object.  Colonel Burr was arrested and tried for treason in Richmond in 1807, but was acquitted.  He died on Staten Island, September 14, 1836.

In May, 1807, the British frigate Leopard boarded the Chesapeake in Virginia waters and forcibly carried off some of her crew, who were claimed as British subjects.  Mr. Jefferson, President of the United States, at once issued a proclamation prohibiting all British war vessels from entering our harbors.  Great excitement was produced throughout the entire country.  The day after the issuance of the President’s proclamation the Petersburg (Va.) troop of cavalry tendered its services to the Government, and young Scott, riding twenty-five miles distant from Petersburg, enlisted as a member.  He was placed in a detached camp near Lynn Haven Bay, opposite where the British squadron was at anchor.  Sir Thomas Hardy was the ranking officer in command of several line of battle ships.  Learning that an expedition from the squadron had gone out on an excursion, Scott, in charge of a small detachment, was sent to intercept them.  He succeeded in capturing two midshipmen and six sailors, and brought them into camp.  The capture was not approved by the authorities, and the prisoners were ordered to be released, and restored to Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy.