8. The Many Reasons Newton Knight Finally Decided To Secede From The Confederate Army
No one never really fully understands why Newton Knight joined the Confederate Army when he was against their ideas. However, we do know that several reasons played into Newton’s departure from the Confederate Army. One of these reasons was the Newton could not play into something he did not believe in anymore. He could no longer fight for slavery, something Newton morally did not believe was right. There was also a lack of supplies for the Confederate Army. Another reason was Newton was not in agreement with the decisions the Confederacy was making, including the first drafting of soldiers.
However, it was the decision to Confederacy made when they enacted that twenty-slave law that pushed Newton over the edge. Newton, who was a small farmer, was irate when the Twenty-Slave Law, which amended the first Confederate Draft, came into effect. Not only did this law make Newton feel that they were fighting the rich man’s war, but he finally realized that he could no longer stand up for something he did not believe. This notion was reinforced when the people who wanted to keep the institution of slavery were excluded from having to fight in the Civil War.
As Jasper Collins, one of Newton’s comrades, stated, “This law… makes it a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.” Collins was actually one of the first Confederate soldiers to desert the Confederate Army. He left as soon as he received word of the Twenty-Slave Law. So, Newton Knight was not far behind him. In fact, there were many more than Newton and Collins who deserted the Confederate Army to create something they could fight for instead.