He appears to have been overly cautious, and was disposed to adopt the old-time method of plodding along the beaten trail.

Here again he made a mistake in taking "the longest way around" to reach Stevensville, while the intense heat and dust began to tell on his troops, which compelled him to halt at New Germany about 11 o'clock.

Before reaching there he was informed of the disaster at Ridgeway by parties who had arrived from the battle-field.

Why, then, did he not push on in search of the enemy, instead of remaining at New Germany until 5.30 p.m.?
is another question.

Excuses are easily framed and plausibly given in reports, but the country generally, and his soldiers particularly, have always thought that he might have managed to have got into a conflict with the enemy in some way.Col.Peacocke was a very fine gentleman, and had the reputation of being a skilful military officer, but his extreme caution in this campaign spoiled all chances of any success in winning the renown that might have been his portion had he acted with snap and celerity of movement in battering the Fenian army before they left Canada.