James McMillan's Affidavit for John Culver's Pension Case

James P. McMillan, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that his age is 42 years, that he resides about 5 miles W. of Caseyville, county of Lincoln, state of Miss., and that he has known John Culver, a colored man, or Port as he was called, all his life. That he (Culver) was a slave of a Mr. John D. McNeill on an adjoining plantation to where he (affiant) was raised and now lives. That about ten years before the War, as nearly as he can fix it, the said Culver had an attack of sore eyes, and was so bad off for a time that he could not see; that it did not last more than about a month or such matter when he recovered from it, and after that his eyes and eye sight appeared just as well as ever. That he heard no further complaint after that in reference to his eyes or sight. That he (affiant) was in the same company and regiment of the Confederate army with George McNeill, and latter had Culver with him as his cook and servant for several months, and his eye sight then was good as anybody’s and there was no ailing of his eyes at the time so far as he knew or heard. That he (affiant) belonged to the same mess for which Culver cooked, and saw him about every day as long as he stayed with the company. That Culver came home from Natchez to McNeill’s place something like a couple of years after the War, and his eye sight was then so bad, as he heard from the statements of the negroes, that he could just discern an object when moved before his eyes. That he did not see him until he had been back something like a couple of months and was then stone blind and has been so ever since. That Culver as he has heard said lived in Natchez for a couple of years after his discharge from the U. S. Army.

That Culver was owned by George McNeill at the time the latter had him with him in the Confederate army.

That Culver’s spell of sore eyes herein referred to was after the death of old Mr. McNeill and while his widow was living and in charge of the estate.

That he remembers that Culver was doctored for his sore eyes by Dr. William Bowie, now deceased.