Part 17 (2/2)

CHAPTER I.

THE BOOKER INVESTIGATION-RESULT OF THE FINDING OF THE COURT OF INQUIRY REGARDING THE CAUSE OP THE RETREAT AT RIDGEWAY.

The following is a report of the proceedings of the Court of Inquiry held at Hamilton on Tuesday, July 3rd, 1866, by order of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, on the application of Lieut.-Col. Booker, to examine and report on the circ.u.mstances connected with the engagement at Lime Ridge (or Ridgeway) on June 2nd:

The following officers composed the Court: President, Col. George T.

Denison, Commandant Volunteer Militia, Toronto; members-Lieut.-Col.

James Shanly, London; Lieut.-Col. G. K. Chisholm, Commanding Oakville Rifle Company, Oakville.

The letter of instructions from Col. P. L. Macdougall, the Adjutant-General of Militia, for the guidance of the Court, addressed to Col. Denison (the President), and also the letter from Lieut.-Col. Durie, by the authority of the Adjutant-General, on the same subject (also addressed to the President) were both read and duly considered by the Court previous to their entering upon the subject of inquiry.

Lieut.-Col. Booker having previously received due notice of the sitting of the Court and of the object of the inquiry, was permitted to be present, and he desired liberty of the Court to put in a written narrative of events as they occurred from the time he left Hamilton until he returned from Lime Ridge to Port Colborne.

The orders for the a.s.sembling of the Court were then produced and read, as follows:-

GOVERNMENT ORDERS.

On application of Lieut.-Col. Booker, the Commander-in-Chief directs the a.s.sembly of a Court of Inquiry at Hamilton, on Tuesday, the 3rd of July, 1866, to examine witnesses and report on the circ.u.mstances connected with the late engagement at Lime Ridge. President, Col. G. T. Denison; members, Lieut.-Col. James Shanly, and Lieut.-Col. G. K. Chisholm.

(Signed) P. L. MACDOUGALL, Colonel, A.G.M.

WM. L. DURIE, Lieut.-Col., A.A.G.M.

OTTAWA, 24th June, 1866.

[A true copy].

TORONTO, 2nd July, 1866.

Sir,-In reply to your inquiries on Sat.u.r.day last, I am directed to inform you that ”the Court of Inquiry is to be closed,” and that Col. Booker can produce any evidence he thinks proper. If the Court requires further evidence it may produce witnesses.

I beg to remain, Yours truly, WM. L. DURIE, Lieut.-Col., D.A.G.M.

COL. DENISON, President Court of Inquiry.

OTTAWA, June 23rd, 1866.

Sir,-I have the honor to instruct you that the Court of Inquiry of which you are named President, is ordered on the application of Lieut.-Col. Booker, in order to give that officer the opportunity of disproving the unfavorable imputations which have been cast upon him in the public prints. You will therefore be pleased to take all evidence which may be produced before the Court by Lieut.-Col. Booker, and you will also endeavor to procure all other evidence which may tend to elucidate the truth.

The opinion of the Court of Inquiry must, of course, be based on and sustained by such evidence only as is embodied in the written proceedings. I have the honor to be, sir,

Your very obedient servant, P. L. MACDOUGALL, Colonel, A.G.M.

COL. G. T. DENISON, President Court of Inquiry, Toronto.

The Court then considered the application of Lieut.-Col. Booker to put in his narrative, and after due deliberation came to the conclusion that they should comply with his request, and accordingly gave him permission to put in his written statement.

Lieut.-Col. Booker then read and afterwards handed in to the Court the following statement of his connection with the operations of the troops under his command in the engagement at Lime Ridge:

NARRATIVE.

On the morning of the 1st of June, 1866, at the hour of 5.30, I received the following telegraphic message from Lieut.-Col. Durie, A.A.G.M.:

TORONTO, June 1st, 1866.

To Lieut.-Col. Booker, Commandant:

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