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Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources:

A Curious Piece of History. Lake Charles Echo Xx (14 Dec 1888) n. pag. Print

This newsletter from Lake Charles Echo is on how Newton Knight gave the Free

State of Jones its name. This book also goes into detail on how the Free State of

Jones tried to separate from the rest of Mississippi. It is a primary source because it was

written by a journalist who was alive at the time Newton was. It connects to Taking a

Stand of History because it explains how the county got its name, and how they took

stand against slavery and the Confederates.

A Curious Piece of History. The Weekly Thibodaux Sentinel 22 Dec. 1888, 21st ed.: n.

Pag. Print.

In this article the author writes about how Free State of Jones got its name. To

put it simply, their main base or capital was Ellisville, Jones County, Mississippi. It is a

primary source because it was written by someone during the time, and the article got

information from people who experienced what was going on at the time. It also

describes how the Free State of Jones tries to succeed from Mississippi. It states that

they proclaimed independence but never really legally succeeded from Mississippi. It

also mentions that the leader of The Free State of Jones was Newts own offspring,

Nathan Knight. This source relates to Taking a Stand in History because it shows

Newtons final wishes to take a stand and separate from Mississippi.

A Mississippi Loyalists Speech--- The Delegate from Jones Speaking His Mind. The
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Wheeling Intelligencer. 11 Sept. 1865: n. Pag. Print.

Included in this newspaper article are details that describe how Delegate

Crawford gave a speech to the president. The speech is about how Crawford is happy

that Jones County succeeded from Mississippi. This is a primary source because the

paper was written during the time of the skirmishes between Newton Knight and the

Confederates. The article connects to the theme Taking a Stand in History because

Crawford spoke his mind dealing with the topic of being okay with Jones County

receding from Mississippi.

Bradley, Sheriff. Letter to Gov. Charles Clark. 8 Feb. 1864. Ms. Mississippi. Web. 14 Dec.

2016

This letter is about Sheriff Bradley and his concern about Newton Knight starting

his regiment to attack the confederates. Also, it is on how Newton Knight had freed

many enslaved people. This letter is a primary source because it was written by someone

who was there during the time experiencing the events. This letter relates to the theme

Taking a Stand in History because it is on how Newton freed slaves and was building a

regiment to stand up to the Confederates.

Bynum, Vikki. Letter To His Excellency. Letter to Governor Charles Clark. 28 Jan.

1864. Renegade South, 2 Aug. 2016. Web. 4 Dec. 2016.

The letter is informing the Mississippi Governor, Charles Clark, about the actions

of the Knight Company. It tells them about the size of the deserters and their current

motives. They include raiding the nearby villages and travelling merchants. It also

warns him to send a strong force to take down the Company. The indicated source is
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primary due to the fact that it was written at the time the skirmishes were active. This

source connects to the theme Taking a Stand in History because it shows that Knight

brought up an organized group almost as good as the government.

Hardy, W.H., Capt. Letter to Gov. Charles Clark. 8 Feb. 1864. MS. Smith County,

Mississippi. Web. 14 Dec. 2016

Within this letter describes W.H Hardy, who tells about the events in the counties.

They include many skirmishes and attack on traveling tradesman. He then gives advice

to the Government on how to fix it. This is a primary source because the person who

wrote it actually experienced it. This letter connects to the theme Taking a Stand in

History because it explains Newts motives and actions.

Knight, Thomas Jefferson, et al. The Free State of Jones ; and The Echo of the Black Horn:

Two Sides of Life and Activities of Captain Newt Knight. New York, Racehorse

Publishing, 2016 Print.

Thomas Knight, Newts son, writes a book which includes details about Newton

Knights life and activities. It goes into detail about how Newton fought to end slavery in

Jones County. Also, it describes how and why he eventually left the army and This is a

primary source due to the fact that it was written by Newts own wife and son. This

published manuscript relates to the theme of Taking a Stand in History because it

shows his life, activities, and how he fought to end slavery.

Thompson, James G. The Free South 13 Aug. 1864 Print,

This newspaper provides the reaction from the bystanders when Jones County

receded. It also provides information about how they gathered in the swamps. This
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source is primary because the newspaper was published at the time this mini-civil war

was active. This source connects to Taking a Stand in History because it shows

Knights cleverness and how he was fighting for the rights of slaves.

Secondary Sources:

Bynum, Victoria. The Free State of Jones. Free State of Jones. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct.

2016

The website in question stood out to us and set itself apart from our other sources

by giving us more info on the locations of the skirmishes and the debate going on about

how to deal with the rebels. They ended up deciding for an all out battle at the Free

State of Jones capital, Ellisville. The rebels ended up winning and settling itself. It

gives us a great general idea of where the battles were fought. This is a secondary source

because it was written well after the battles ended. This source relates to the theme of

Taking a Stand in History because it shows that Knight took careful consideration on

where and how to strike.

Biography.com, Editors. "Newton Knight."Biography.com A&E Networks Television, 15

June 2016. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.

The biography.com editors gave us information on important events in Newton

Knights life. For instance, his time in the Civil War, which included censure on

Knights enlistment in the Confederate Army. It also provides dictum on his early life,

which described his time on the Knights family farm, the start of the rebellion, that

recounted the founding of the Knight Company and the skirmishes between the company

and the Confederate Army, and his later life which had detailed Knights return to his
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farm and his work in the safeguard of African Americans. The website in question is in

fact a secondary source because it was made about 100 years after the county bloodshed

took place. This online biography relates to the theme of Taking a Stand in History as

it explains Knights determination of standing up to the government and fighting for the

rights of African Americans. This source aided us with developing our knowledge of

Knights life, what he accomplished, and supported other sources we found.

Jenkins, Sally, and John Stauffer. The State of Jones: the Small Southern County That

Seceded from the Confederacy. New York, Anchor Books, 2010. Print

The aforementioned book has details on the siege of Vicksburg and the battle of

Corinth. It also includes details from the Knights family life. This book is a secondary

source because it was written in the 21st century by people who did not witness or

experience these events. This book connects to the theme because it tells about the

battles Newton Knight fought to end slavery in Jones County.

Kelly, Jr. R James. Newton Knight and the Legend of the Free State of Jones. Mississippi

History Society, 2000. Web. 1 Jan. 2016

James R. Kellys article describes most of the events that happened in Newton

Knights life such as how Newton Knight organized a company of about 125 men from

Jones, Covington, Jasper, and Smith Mississippi countries contend against the

Confederates. It also describes how his grandfather owned many slaves but his dad did

not own any slaves and neither did Knight, the farm he owned, his wife, him leaving the

Confederate army, and him returning to his farm and settling down later on. This source

is secondary because the year 2000 is way after the mid 1800s. This online website
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article refers to the theme Taking a Stand in History because it describes how he stood

up to the Confederacy and stood up to the government for the rights of African American

slaves. This source helped us learn more about Newton Knight and his life.

Leverett, Rudy H. Legend of the Free state of Jones. Free State of Jones. N.p., n.d. Web.

27 Feb. 2017

Rudy Leveretts book goes into extreme detail about the events of Knights life.

It also gives exposition on the events before and after his life. It tells of the effects of

Knights decisions, and how it affected the citizens of Mississippi and the government's

decisions on how to handle it. The book takes place in a flashback to a courtroom. It

shows his time on the farm, his time revolutionizing Jones County, and finally his time

after the war fighting for African Americans Rights. This is a secondary source because

it was written around the 2000s which is well after 1800s about the time these events

took place. This source relates to the theme Taking a Stand in History because it

shows Knights skills in fighting for the freedom of African Americans.

Parish, John G. White Knights of the Civil War. San Bernardino: n.p., n.d. Print. 18 Nov.

2015

John Parishs book is a roster of the people in the Knight Company. The book

mentions a little bit about everyone in the roster. The book also separates the roster into

different sections such as who fought in the war or who was killed. This is a secondary

because the author did not personally know anyone in the roster and was not present

during the times of these events. It connects to the theme Taking a Stand in History
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because it is about people who were in the Knight Company, and how the Knight

Company stood up to the Confederates.

Szucs, Juliana. "Who Was Newt Knight of Free State of Jones?." Ancestry Blog.

Ancestry, 24 June 2016. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.

The indicated website presents interesting information including his family line

and pictures of Knights writing. It also details some of his actions used to try to secede

from Mississippi. The preceding site is a secondary source due to the fact that it was

written in 2016 by someone not present in Knights time period. This source relates to

the theme of Taking a Stand in History because it shows Knights extreme detail in

planning his way to victory.