The son that wrote the book was white. He promoted his father as a hero. The facts are there were many more Confederate deserters in that area ( Between the Leaf Rivers and Chickasaway Rivers the poorest country in Mississippi-then and now)who were committing crimes than just Knewt and his company. The majority left for New Orleans when the Confederates put the pressure on them (the 1st Regiment, New Orleans Infantry, Union, had many men from this area in it.) None of Knewt's company have I found in these rolls which questions his and their Union loyalty. According to the 1860 census the Knights were dirt poor farmers living in the Piney Woods of Mississippi. How he owned slaves is mystery unless he stole them. Also, he claimed the the reason he turned on the Confederate Government was because of the "Tax-In-Kind" laws and he was defending his family from starvation. As poor as he was, he didn't qualify for the Tax-In-Kind Tax. There are more questions about the Knight's story than we have answers.

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David Upton