Newton Knight: Fighting the Confederacy

Newton Knight, a Mississippi farmer, joined the Confederate Army during the Civil War but later deserted, realizing he had more in common with slaves than plantation owners. After being arrested and his home destroyed, he formed the Knight Company, a guerrilla force of deserters and escaped slaves, to fight against the Confederacy. Post-war, Knight lived by his principles, marrying a freed slave and leaving a legacy as both a traitor and a hero.

What was the primary reason for the conflict between the Confederate and Unionist states during the Civil War?

• Control over trade routes

• Territorial expansion

• The institution of slavery

• Disagreements over taxation

What significant decision did Newton Knight make as the war progressed?

• He became a Union general

• He deserted the Confederate Army

• He moved to the North

• He started a plantation

What was the Knight Company?

• A guerrilla force of deserters and escaped slaves

• A Southern plantation owners' association

• A band of Union spies

• A group of Confederate generals

How did Newton Knight's life reflect his principles after the war?

• He married a freed slave and lived by his beliefs

• He became a wealthy plantation owner

• He rejoined the Confederate Army

• He moved to the North

How is Newton Knight viewed by different people today?

• As a Confederate hero

• As a Union general

• As both a traitor and a hero

• As a famous politician