Either Colonel Booker was in a condition of temporary insanity in relation to his duty, on one hand, and in relation to his personal danger on the other, or he was sane, and wanted to escape the supposed danger of another Fenian fight. Which of these conditions do his friends elect to judge him by.
The foregoing statement was first published when the Court of Inquiry was about to meet at Hamilton. In August it was again submitted to Capt. McGrath to know if lapse of time, or newer information had led him to modify his first impressions. He said this was true, and various other occurrences of that morning and of the evening before, not related in that statement, confirmed the opinion that Booker was on those days wholly unfitted, physically and mentally, for military command.
One of these officers of volunteers whom Capt. Akers alludes to as of superior rank to himself and who advised that Booker, for the safety of all, should be removed from command of any, was on Sunday morning witness of his frantic imbecility in clutching hold of Mr. McGrath at the railway depot.
Lt.-Col. Booker went to Hamilton on Sunday 3rd June. Telegrams published there on the 4th gave him information that the Fenians were vanquished: had retreated across the Niagara river, after a fight with the Welland field battery and Dunnville naval brigade on the 2nd and were intercepted by the U. S. steamer Michigan, which held them prisoners for breach of the neutrality laws. On the evening of Monday the 4th Booker re-appeared at Colborne. He telegraphed to Col. Lowry as if nothing had occurred to interrupt his command, “I am here awaiting your orders.” This was not replied to. But on next day Col. Lowry, in a telegram to Lt.-Col. Villiers of the 47th regulars who was there, inquired; “What does Booker mean? He says he awaits my orders. He resigned his command on Saturday; it was accepted; he cannot be re-instated.” On being informed of this Booker telegraphed again that he had only resigned command of the brigade, not of the 13th battalion. Col. Lowry did not answer, but sent to Lt.-Col. Villiers saying: “Major Skinner commands the 13th battalion; render him all the assistance he may require. If Col. Booker is not satisfied he may apply to Major-General Napier.”
Booker on next day returned to Hamilton, went to Toronto, and induced General Napier to telegraph to Lt.-Col. Villiers to assemble the officers of the 13th, and submit a proposal that they should sign a letter of solicitation, asking to have Lt.-Col. Booker restored to the 13th battalion. The officers refused to sign any such application. They unequivocally made known to the military authorities, then and afterwards, that if Booker were restored to the command of the battalion they would not serve under him. By him their honor had been impugned; by him the battalion was maligned, and all to cover his own unsoldierly, scandalous misconduct. Not alone on the field, but by his desertion of them and misrepresentation at Port Colborne.
He applied for a Court of Inquiry. It was granted. Three volunteer colonels assembled at Hamilton on 3rd of July. Col. Denison of Toronto, President; Colonels Chisholm of Oakville, and Shanly of London C. W., members. The officers of the 13th were not permitted to be present at the Inquiry neither in their own persons, nor by a legal representative to examine witnesses, and keep them to lines of truth, and to lead them to a development of truth, beyond the points at which it suited Booker to interrupt them. And yet he, with the assistance of a lawyer out of doors, had his choice of persons and questions, and style of putting questions at his discretion. And the Court acquiesced in that mockery of Inquiry. Witnesses who would have given inculpatory evidence had they told truth, as they tell it out of doors, were not called.
But the Court pronounced: “That so far as the courage and character of Lt.-Col. Booker, with reference to his command of the force engaged with the enemy at Lime Ridge, on Saturday the 2nd of June, are affected, there is not the slightest foundation for the unfavorable imputations cast upon him in the public prints, and most improperly circulated through that channel and otherwise.”
“And the Court lastly find that the whole of the wounded and sick were brought with the retreating column.”
The wounded and killed were left on the field except in the cases of slight hurts.