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Abingdon Virginian Mentions in the Abingdon Virginian
Abingdon Virginian, 3/18/1864
Outrageous Conduct

We understand that many of the men going home on furlough, of the 8th Va., Cavalry, and Col. Witchers Battalion, were guilty of the most outrageous conduct, as they passed through Russell, a few days ago. A party of Colonel Witchers men, we are informed took the only work horse of Mr. Lewis Horton of Russell, who has thirteen sons in the Confederate army. Some of the outrages of these men are referred to by a correspondent, whose letter appears in another column. So great is the fear of citizens of them that they dared not pursue them to endeavor to recover their property.
These men when sober are usually respectful and kind, but when maddened by liquor, disregard all the decencies and proprieties of life and society; and, yet there are men, who will make and sell them liquor; who, if they knew that their neighbor was to be robbed, and his wife and children inhumanly maltreated, would still make and sell liquor to the soldiers and officers.

[NOTE: I have been unable to confirm that Lewis Horton had 13 sons in the Confederate army, it seems unlikely. However, sons Lewis, Lilburn, and Charles Parris definitely served, and probably Henry C., John, Daniel and William also.]

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