“The rebels could see that if this movement was successful re-enforcements as well as supplies to the Union army would immediately be the result, and they were bewildered and chagrined. At about one o'clock the same night, Hord was attacked in force by the enemy. Gear's command first received the assault. Hord at once moved to the support of Gear, but before reaching him found a large rebel force posted on a range of hills which completely commanded his line of march. These hills were steep and rugged. There was, however, but one course left, and that was to assault. This was done in a most gallant style. The hills were scaled and the enemy driven from them with a loss of many prisoners, as well as killed and wounded. Gen. Gear meanwhile had been contending against a superior force for two hours, and though almost enveloped at one time by the enemy, he finally succeeded in repelling the assault. The moonlight was so bright that the firing seemed to light up the whole heavens, as if meteors were in every possible space. The yells of the rebels, the running away of teams, the heavy sound of artillery, were enough to 'frighten the souls of fearful adversaries.' Mules broke away from their wagons and hitching places, some with halters, some with harness and singletrees dangling at their heels. Horses neighing and mules braying, all dashed in the direction 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: