irection of the enemy, who mistook
the fleeing animals for a cavalry charge, and fled in disorder and
confusion. At daylight the enemy had been repulsed at every point and
our route to Chatteraugus secured.

"Gen. Silent had managed to communicate with Gen. Papson, and directed
that one of his divisions should cross over the river in front of his
camp in plain view of the enemy, and while the enemy were watching
these movements pontoon bridges were being laid across the river by the
Engineer Corps, they passing down the river beyond the left flank of the
enemy in the night time. Over this bridge crossed Palmerston's Division
and joined Hord, and by the next morning all the heights commanding the
bridge and Looking-Glass Valley were secured--communication opened
by way of the north side of the river by crossing the pontoon bridge,
and on that very day rations for the men were taken into Chatteraugus.
Such a shout as went up from the throats of nearly 50,000 men was
perhaps never heard before nor since. Gen. Silent entered Chatteraugus
with the supplies for the hungry, and was most gratefully received
by officers and men. When this line was opened the boys christened it
'Silent's cracker line.'

"The scene that followed the opening of this line of communication is
not to be described by any one. Poor fellows, they had suffered long and
much. They were patriots; but how many people remember it now?"

At this point the old man grew eloquent, and finally bowed his head for
a moment. Resuming, he said:

"In a very short time every one had gained confidence and courage, and
was again not only ready but eager for the fray. Biggs at once saw his
peril. Longpath was at Knoxburg trying to dislodge Broomfield, while
Gen. Papson was being rapidly re-enforced. And now the tables were
turned. The rebels no longer jeered at and tantalized our boys with
inquiries as to when they proposed to start for 'Pine Forest Prison.'
Jeff Davis, the Confederate President, had only a few days before
visited Biggs's army and looked down upon our starving soldiers. Our
boys knew this, and would ask if Jeff Devis would like to dine with Gen.
Silent on hard-tack?

"Just at this time our forces were anxiously looking for the arrival of
the troops from the Army of the West, which they knew were marching
with all the energy they could to the aid of their comrades. So the next
morning the rebels were saluted with a shout that rang from the valley
up t