body servants or laborers into black veterans. My original post concerned an
instance in which a black body servant (not a veteran) received a pension from
the state of Mississippi. Although this body servant, Dan Hays, was present during
the battle at Peach Tree Creek outside Atlanta, I have seen nothing to indicate he
ever fired a weapon. His service duty may well have involved tending to his
master, Lt. James Madison Boyd, following the time when Lt. Boyd lost his arm at Peach
Tree Creek. If anyone has ready access to "veteran's" service records it might be
interesting to see if there is one for a Dan Hays of the 40th Mississippi.