Aha! See, nobody knows what Newt or his men did. They did not keep records, there is no dated proof at all from that period about the reasons, actions or goals of Newt and those that are reported to have followed him from the Civil War. NONE. Except his Confederate records and Federal Census records. Everything we know of him and his "company" was written years after the fact by family members. In recent "histories" of these men there is one mention of trade with New Orleans. Its glossed over, and is used to prove that Newt was suppling his military faction with Union ammunition and weapons from helpful U.S. authorities. Supposedly Newt and his men were using flat boats down the Pearl River and bringing back military goods in some sort of trade. How he did this without being seen by Confederate authorities is curious, and how did he bring loaded flatboats UP a river is also curious, but here we have one reference to trade, that hints to the reference I have about Confederate soldiers deserting to participate in the black market for money. Why on earth would a group of deserters bring attention to themselves by attacking Confederate property if their goal was to be just left alone? Why would they take up arms and go after Confederate authorities if they were trying to hide and doing so would surely bring more Confederate and State military into the region? I believe they had something else they were willing to desert and kill for and probably that was the temptation of making money, something these dirt poor farmers never had.

David