However, to make this an "interesting report," it is necessary to clarify which John Sutton is being discussed, as there is often confusion between the lawman and his brother, the more famous William E. Sutton .
John Sutton (Texas Lawman / Gunfighter) Era: The Sutton-Taylor Feud (Reconstruction Era Texas) did john sutton ever get his eyesight back
Yet the more poignant aspect of his story lies not in the medical records, but in his own refusal to accept the verdict. For years after the war, Sutton reportedly sought out every available quack, herbalist, and traveling "oculist" who promised a cure. He sat through useless electric shock treatments, drank foul tonics, and submitted to eye washes that burned worse than the original gas. In a heartbreaking letter to his sister in 1923, he wrote, “Some days I still wake up and try to open my eyes to the sun. Then I remember. But I cannot stop trying.” This persistent hope, though futile, was his only way of remaining a soldier—still fighting, still refusing to surrender. However, to make this an "interesting report," it
He died blind. He never got his eyesight back. For years after the war, Sutton reportedly sought
Despite his permanent blindness and the loss of his wife, John Sutton has remained remarkably resilient:
It is worth noting that in popular retellings (and even some older texts), the injuries of the Sutton brothers are sometimes conflated.