Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-06-19

time Of hls death wRs bis Inspector General When he
Joined the Confederate army he altered his name and
now signs Il thus Lawrence W. 0rton Col Cav. p A.
@. S. A." provisional Army Confederate States Of
America.) Sometimes lie writes bis name "Orton and
sometimes "Auton" according to the object which he
had in view This learn from the papers found on him.
These facts in relation 70 the personal history Of Col
Orion, have gathered from the Colonel himself and
from Colonel Watkins, who knows him well, they hav-
ing belonged to the came regoet Of the regular army
I'D United States Cavalry. Colonel Watkins, however,
did not recognize Colonel 0rtonunti after be bad made
himself known, aud ourns his aposacy and tragic
fate.
The other victim OF this deusve and reckless daring
was Walter G. Peter Lieutenant in the rebel army and
COL 0rton's Adjutant. lie was tall, handsome young
man, of about twenty-five years. that gave many signs
of education and refinement.
y OF his history have been unable to gather moth
lug. He played but second part Colonel Orion was
the leader and did all the talking and managing Such
ia a succnct account of one of the most daring enter
prses that ever engaged in. Such were the char
Gcters and the men who played the awful tragedy.
History will hardly furnish its parallel in the charac
ter and standing of the parties the bodness and daring
of the enterprise and the swftness with which discovery
and punishment were visited upon them. They came
into our camp and went all through it, infinitely in
specting position, works and forces with portion
Of their tTaorous insignia upon them and the bodness
of their conduct made their fmsy subterfuge almost
|
To the last however, they denied being spies. They
claimed that they endeavorDg to get through our
lines in order to visit friends in the North and in Eu-
rope But this story poorly matured, that when
either told it it would not hang together and there
little resemblance between the accounts which the two
gave The arrest SO completely COMPOUNDED them that
they were never afterwards sbe to from it.
The unfortunate men made no complaint at the Sc
verify Of their punishment except they deprecated the
gnoniny Of being hung; they we're too well informed
not to know that upon conviction of being spies they
must suffer deah aud hence they expected it and made
no complaints
Col. orion, who recognized Col. Watkins soon az
he saw him, told him that he barely escaped his III,
when the arrest madethat he had his hand on his
pistol to kill him aud escape and that had it been any
one else here he would have done So
Col Orion delivered lis sword and pistols to Colonel
Watkins and told him to keep and wear them. He also
presented him his horse he valued at $4,000 and asked
him to treat it kindly for bis sake.
We are all sad over this event. There Is gloom
upon every face Although are fully satisfied that
the mission OF these to plan our destruction,
and that even they recognized their punishment just
according 10 the accepted rules Of war among all ma
tons STILL TO such suffer such penalty, has
filed our garrison with sadness.
W. II Surg. s5th Indiana.