ordered the rest of the column, which at that
time was composed of Queen's Own and Thirteenth mixed together, to
retire, as they were exposed to a heavy fire on the front and right from
the enemy's front and left. This order was being obeyed by the men with
reasonable steadiness, when as I was standing in rear of the retiring
column, I heard them cheer loudly and call out "reinforcements." I
then saw some men in red, whom I believe were the left wing of the
Thirteenth, and whom these men, I suppose, took to be reinforcements.
When these men in red heard the cheer they broke and retired. Then the
whole column became disorganized. This was about 9 o'clock a.m. The
first shot was fired about half-past seven a.m.

Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Did you believe, when you saw my
despatches to Col. Peacocke and Gen. Napier, that they were correct, and
did you concur in the correctness of them when you were with me in the
customs office at Port Colborne?

Answer--Yes, the general tenor of the report was correct, and I assented
to it.

Question from the Court--Is there anything in Lieut.-Col. Booker's
report, just read to you, that places the Thirteenth Battalion in a
false position?

Answer--No.

Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Do you think the men could have been
rallied after they had commenced the retreat?

Answer--The whole force could not have been, but I could have rallied
two or three hundred men around me at any time during the retreat, had
I been disposed to do so. Officers of both the Queen's Own and the
Thirteenth were frantically exerting themselves to rally their men, but,
knowing that I could not be relieved by Col. Peacocke, and fearing that
the enemy might pass to our rear, I thought it wiser to conduct the
retreat in as orderly a manner as I could.

Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--Were you satisfied with my conduct on
the field?

Answer--Col. Booker asked me the same question in Port Colborne, and I
now give him the same answer that I did then, which was, that I could
see nothing in his conduct to disapprove of, except with regard to the
formation of the squares, which I thought at that time was a mistake,
and I think so still.

Question from Lieut.-Col. Booker--As you were not mounted, would you
explain the reason why you did not take your horse with, you when you
left Port Colborne?

Answer--I had my horse at the station at Port Colborne, when Mr.
Magrath, the manager, told me that I cou