Colonel Oldham "was lying down with his clothes on" and "requested me not to go, as he was sure my party would be cut off, for, says he, I expect the army will be attacked in the morning; I replied, that as I had received my orders I must go." Slough led his party through the militia camp and onward about a mile on the Indian trail. Here they were divided, each party hiding on opposite sides of the path. Soon a party of Indians passed each hiding company; one company opened fire. It was not long before the men realized that something extraordinary was on hand. A larger body of Indians soon came near Slough's band on the left of the trace, paused, and coughed as if to attract another volley, and then passed on. The scouting party came together on the trail and agreed that an Indian army was advancing; a hurried march to camp followed. On the way "every fifteen or twenty yards we heard something moving in the woods on both sides of the path, but could not see what it was," wrote Slough. It was a thrilling moment when these men heard Little Turtle's quiet lines worming their way through the underbrush--an army making so strange a noise in the night that even frontiersmen could not recognize it. Yet an unrecognized sound brought utmost alarm; "we pushed on," said Slough, "and gained the militia camp as soon as possible." Slough's first thought was to send word immediately to St. Clair. He hurried to Colonel Oldham's tent. "I was just going to dress myself," says Oldham, "and go and inform the commander in chief about it; I will thank you [Slough] to inform the general that I think the army will be attacked in the morning." Slough hastened to General Butler's tent, but, seeing no one but the sentry, passed on to Colonel Gibson's tent. Here he aroused Gibson and Doctor M'Croskey, and repeated his alarming story. He asked Gibson to go with him to General Butler. Colonel Gibson was not dressed, and urged Slough to go alone and arouse Butler. He obeyed, and as he returned to General Butler's tent the latter walked out of it and went to the fire. Calling Butler aside, that the sentry should not overhear the news, "I told him what colonel Oldham had said, and that, if he thought proper, I would go and make the report to general St. Clair. He stood some time, and after a pause, thanked me for my attention and vigilance, and said, as I must be fatigued I had better go and lie down. I went from him and lay down...." It was five days before General St. Clair heard of Slough's scouting episode of the night of November 3.[120]