CHAPTER XIII.
At Port Colborne. Officers of Volunteers from St. Catharines and London urge Capt. Akers R. E. to obtain orders to remove Booker from command. The midnight alarm. Morning of 3rd June. Capt McGrath’s Statement. Booker at Hamilton. Returns to Colborne. His telegrams to Col. Lowry commanding Niagara force. Col. L. refuses to restore him to command of the 13th Battalion. Court of Inquiry. Suppression of truth. Perversion of facts.
Capt. Akers stated in his report, after relating what he knew of occurrences at Fort Erie: “I arrived at Colborne between 6 and 7 o’clock in the evening. The troops that had been engaged in the morning were considerably exhausted from want of rest and food. Col. Booker appeared quite overcome with fatigue and anxiety. He begged me to undertake all necessary arrangements, and later in the evening requested me to take the command out of his hands. Finding this was the wish of other volunteer officers of rank superior to myself, I telegraphed for instructions, and was desired by Col. Lowry to take the command.”
The troops which had arrived at Colborne since the morning were seven volunteer companies of Prince Arthur’s Own, from London C. W. Four of the 22nd Oxford, with the Drumbo company attached, and two companies of Home Guards from St. Catharines.
Added to these were now the Q. O. and 13th battalions, York and Caledonia companies, in all about 1,400. Brigadier-General Booker who last night asserted his seniority and took command, was now in a condition of maudlin imbecility. He should have taken command of this force of 1,400. There it was, for aught that any mortal could tell, exposed on one of the most important strategical points of Canada to a reinforced enemy from Fort Erie; and to invasion by water from southern ports of Lake Erie. Nobody in command. That man, whom a court of inquiry subsequently pronounced to have behaved as a soldier, now going about in a condition of idiotcy. Had he surrendered to his next in command in the 13th measures of precaution would have been taken. But Major Skinner knew nothing of Booker’s resignation. The garrison was without a responsible head. Lt.-Col. McGiverin, M. P. P., arrived at 5 p. m. and assisted.
About midnight an alarm was sounded. The troops who lay accoutred rose, fell in, stood to arms, threw out patrols, and strengthened piquets. Booker was lying among the men in the school house, weary no doubt, as all were. He was shaken, rolled over, and violently pulled in efforts to arouse him (men’s statement). Then he arose staring wildly, calling, “Where are they? Where are they? What shall I do? What can I do?”