The reader would never learn what, correctly, Peyton did to get arrested. And it also adds to the irony of the story, in that the reader learns that Farquhar was tricked by Northern soldiers into trying to destroy the bridge.
The reader would never find out what Peyton did to get himself jailed. It also adds to the irony of the plot, as the reader discovers that Farquhar was duped into attempting to demolish the bridge by Northern forces.
