From the Richmond Enquirer, 8/28/1861, p. 3, c. 2

AN OFFICER KILLED. - On Friday evening last, Sergeant Wm. Hamilton, who had charge of the soldiers guarding the depot where the Yankee prisoners are confined, had occasion to confine one of the regulars named John Walthall, for insubordinate conduct. After handcuffing Walthall, Sergeant Hamilton placed him in the second story of a small building in the yard of Liggon's factory, and walked out in the porch of the building. He had not been there but a few minutes when Walthall, taking a loaded rifle which was in the room, approached the window and shot Hamilton, the ball taking effect in the abdomen and inflicting such a wound as to cause his death about 10 o'clock on Saturday morning. Walthall immediately after firing the rifle, jumped from the window, a distance of some twenty feet, and ran off, and though he was fired at by the sentry, succeeded in making his escape. He was, however, arrested on Monday ad has been committed to prison. Sergeant Hamilton was interred with military honors by his comrades on Sunday. He is spoken of as a worthy and much esteemed soldier, and his untimely death is much regretted by his friends and companions in arms.

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