Newton Knight Research Paper

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Newton knight was a farmer in mississippi who fought for freedom and secession of Jones county. Knight and the people of jones county put their lives so they could be free from the grip from the confederacy. The confederacy took many of non-slave farmers and put their lives on the front line to fight for what they didn’t even believe in. Knight opposed the state seceding from the United States, saying that white farmers like himself did not support slavery. He was a man of individual rights and equality, which was what the united states did not have at the time. Newton Knight was born Jone county, mississippi on November 1837 to Albert Knight and his wife. He was not very educated, but he was taught by his mother on how to read and how to …show more content…

He later wedded Serena. He started his military career as a volunteer on 15th May 1862. During the Civil War, he abandoned the confederate army after the passage of “Twenty Negro Laws” to impress the Union. on 31st December 1863, Newton Knight is reported to have left without permission .This is an act of sabotage, since he had sworn allegiance to the confederation army. Newton Knight and other deserters were therefore liable to arrest, due to their criminal act. In his effort to fight back, Newton Knight led a gang, calling itself the “Knight’s Company”, which weighed a guerilla war on the confederation soldiers at River …show more content…

During his time with the confederacy army, Newton Knight, is a traitor, as he is loyal to the union but hiding under the façade of the confederacy. His criminal activities can be illustrated by his rebellion. The book gives an account of Newton Knight’s role in making Jones County a Free State. we see the attempts by him to talk to the Republic of Jones. Newton Knight took over from Major R. Robinson as the head of the Republic of Jones and Colonel Lowry takes over from Colonel Maury as head of the Confederate force.It is apparent that, Knight and his men were blood thirsty. On 5th October 1863, an confederate officer was killed by Knight and his Men in Ellisville. This shows the criminal activities undertaken by him in Jones County. He is on record for the killings of tax agents working for the confederation. Knight was notorious for fighting with the government; it is on record that between 1st November 1863 and 10th January 1864, his gang clashed with the government three times. On 3rd February 1864, again, Knight and his deserters are said to kill Reverend Carlisle. It seems Knight and his company was notorious for killing the pro-confederates. Knight led company, was also known for looting and vandalism. Knight led his followers to raid a confederate supply depot and a supply train. On 3rd March 1864, Paulding is raided by Knight, between Meridian and Quitman.

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