given minute
instructions by Col. Peacocke as to the time he proposed to leave
Chippawa (6 o'clock) and also the route of his march, so that
Lieut.-Col. Booker could be thoroughly informed of his plans.

Capt. Akers arrived at Port Colborne about 2 o'clock a.m., on June 2nd,
and after delivering his despatches and verbal orders, had a conference
with Lieut.-Col. Booker and Lieut.-Col. Dennis as to the situation of
affairs at the front, which resulted in a proposal by Lieut.-Col.
Dennis that Col. Peacocke's plans should be altered (contingent on that
officer's consent) and that Lieut.-Col. Booker's column should advance
on Fort Erie direct and join Col. Peacocke near Frenchman's Creek,
instead of at Stevensville. This proposal was telegraphed to Col.
Peacocke, who promptly negatived any change in his plans, and insisted
on his original orders being obeyed.

Previous to the issuance of his order to Lieut.-Col. Booker, Col.
Peacocke had telegraphed to Lieut.-Col. Dennis that he had ordered the
International Ferry steamer to proceed from Fort Erie to Port Colborne,
and instructed him to put a gun detachment on board and patrol the
Niagara River from Fort Erie to Chippawa. As this steamer had not
arrived at 10.30 p.m., Lieut.-Col. Dennis availed himself of the
patriotic offer of Capt. Lachlan McCallum, owner of the powerful tug
"W. T. Robb," to place that boat at his disposal. Capt. McCallum was
the commanding officer of the Dunnville Naval Brigade, and the boat
was lying at her dock at that place when he received a telegram from
Lieut.-Col. Dennis shortly after midnight to proceed to Port Colborne
without delay. He quickly mustered his crew and the members of his Naval
Brigade and left Dunnville at 2 o'clock a.m., arriving at Port Colborne
at about 4 a.m. Meanwhile the Welland Canal Field Battery, under
command of Capt. Richard S. King, of Port Robinson, had reported at Port
Colborne, and received orders to embark on the "W. T. Robb," for the
proposed reconnaissance to the Niagara River. For some unaccountable
reason the field guns of this splendid Battery, which was one of
the most efficient in the Province at that time, had been removed
to Hamilton a few months previously, and their only armament on this
occasion was short Enfield rifles with sword bayonets. They mustered
three officers and 59 men when they joined the Dunnville Naval Brigade
on board the tug. The latter corps consisted of three officers and 43
men, arme