Colborne I was, with others, taken up by the second train which came
down the road to meet us. The train took up several officers of the 13th
and the Queen's Own.

At Port Colborne, through the kindness of Mr. Pring, the Collector of
Customs, I was provided with the requisites for writing my despatches
to the Major-General Commanding and to Colonel Peacocke. The drafts were
perused by Major Gillmor; and one despatch was copied by Major Cattley
of the Thirteenth and the other by a non-commissioned officer of the
Queen's Own.

Shortly after returning to Port Colborne I received advice of ten
companies of volunteers from Paris. Others arrived during the
evening. Among the latter were the Home Guard of St. Catharines, under
Lieut.-Col. McGiverin. I beg leave especially to thank that officer for
the assistance he afforded, and for very generously dividing with my
command the provisions lie had brought from St. Catharines with him for
his own men.

Prisoners were being brought in in numbers, and every question was
referred to me personally. I had no Major of Brigade, no aide, no staff,
not even an office clerk of whose services I could at the moment
avail myself, while farmers as scouts were coming in with their varied
reports. I felt it due to the large force of volunteers under my
command to request the Major-General Commanding to relieve me and send
a professional soldier (one from whom I might take my orders) to assume
the command.

When at Port Colborne I reported that the Thirteenth and Queen's Own
were alike tired and hungry, and that if it were possible they should
have a day's rest, and that those volunteers who had arrived during the
day of the 2nd of June at Port Colborne should be sent forward first.

I pointed out that uncooked rations, which it was intended to serve out
to the Queen's Own and the Thirteenth, would not benefit them, as they
were without the necessary appliances to cook and make use of them. But
it was not by my wish that the Thirteenth were detained at Port Colborne
on the morning of the 3rd June, while the Queen's Own were ordered to
march on to Fort Erie. I was anxious that both should be thoroughly
refreshed, and I felt regret that the companions of the day previous
should be separated, as they were equally able to proceed.

Then, either from misunderstanding, or perhaps that I was not
sufficiently explicit, I found that I had been relieved from the command
of my own battalion, and not