road trains loaded with supplies,
collected all the cavalry he could, obtained horses and mounted two
regiments of infantry. Under a skillful officer he started them in
pursuit of Weller and Lawting, chasing them into Northern Alabama and
capturing near one-half of their commands. Gen. Silent had no means of
getting into Chatteraugus until Biggs's force at Bridgeton and on the
river between there and Chatteraugus could be dislodged and driven out
of Looking-Glass Valley, which ran down along the mountain side to the
river. He had difficulty in getting all the positions correctly.

"Finally he met Mrs. Houghton, who had come out from Chatteraugus prior
to its investment. She gave him the most satisfactory detailed statement
that he had received from any one as yet. In the interview she told him
what she was doing in that country and where she had been; what she had
said to General Rosenfelt the night before the battle of Murphy's Hill,
and what she told him the day before the battle at Cherokee Run. The
General questioned her as to the number of the enemy, the names of the
commanders, etc. When she gave the names of Longpath and Stephenson, the
General said:

"'They are sending troops here from the rebel army East?'

"'Yes, General,' she replied; '20,000, I am sure, and I so told Gen.
Rosenfelt.'

"The General said: 'They are using the Victor's Hill prisoners?'

"'Yes,' said she; 'Gen. Stephenson is said to be in command of 20,000 of
them.'

"'But they have not been exchanged as yet?'

"As to that she did not know, but they were now in Gen. Bigg's army.
Gen. Silent thanked her and invited her to come to Chatteraugus when he
should take it; 'which,' he said, 'I mean to do in ten days from the day
I open the lines of communication, so as to get food to those starving
soldiers.' He then left her with many thanks for the information.

"The next day Mrs. Houghton sought Gen. Silent again and said to him:

"'General, there is one matter, which may be important, I did not think
to mention yesterday in our conversation.'

"'Pray, what is that?' said he.

"'Gen. Longpath is to start in a day or so to Knoxburg with his command,
in order to drive Broomfield from there, who they understand is now in
possession of that place.'

"'Well,' said the General, 'that is of more importance to know than
anything you have told me.'

"'I am exceedingly glad then, General, that I thought of it.'

"The General then said to her: '