I have not in the proper place named it so explicitly as the circumstance demands, that Booker had reported that the 13th were demoralized, that is in a military sense unfit for duty, untrustworthy before an enemy. That is the military signification of a battalion being demoralized. The troops then at Colborne, June 3rd, 4 a. m., were about to march towards the scene of yesterday’s action; and the 13th, whether because of Booker’s slanderous report or not, yet with it resting on them, were left behind, in Colborne. There lay the stigma from which the officers on their own behalf and that of the gallant fellows of yesterday’s combat sought to be absolved before the public, through Booker’s Court of Inquiry, which, however, refused them a status in it as parties, or a place within its doors as listeners to what others said involving their interests. True, it has since been officially stated that the 13th was left there to do garrison duty. But the invidious distinction was not removed by that explanation, of the Toronto Q. O., Caledonia and York companies being taken to the scene of yesterday’s fight where an enemy was expected on the 3rd, and the 13th left out, apparently as unworthy. And there was this other set of aggravations. The Q. O. notwithstanding what Adj.-Gen. McDougal has so handsomely said at Thorold camp, (see another page), that brave men never calumniate their fellow soldiers, did set afloat stories at their new quarters in Fort Erie village, and in their letter-writing to Toronto, slandering the 13th. The St. Catharines Journal had a reporter at Fort Erie camp, and his ear was filled, his paper supplied in turn, with calumnious lies about the 13th and unqualified praises of the Q. O. Other volunteer companies such as Barrie and Scarboro took the story from the Q. O. and when they came to do garrison duty at Colborne along side of the 13th, about June 12th, were insolent almost beyond endurance. “If _we_ had been in the fight,” said they, “_we_ would not have heeded Booker’s bugle calls to retire; _we_ would have gone on with the battle, _we_ would.” That is each man would have taken the command upon himself. It was about the 11th or 12th of June that Lt.-Col. Villiers met the officers of the 13th at Colborne and stated that it was the desire of Maj. Gen. Napier that Lt.-Col. Booker should resume command of the battalion. He urged that “bygones should be bygones,” but they all without exception said Lt.-Col. Booker could never command the battalion again, while they remained its officers. They were not, it seems, asked to write a letter of solicitation to have him re-instated. At Colborne, I was informed that such a request had been made. And so gave it in the Narrative written from my Notes.