The Butler weekly times., 1886-11-03

Oh war and consumption act to leave
their homes-tormed large portion
OF this motley population. The
Southern Contederacy had me, with
severe losses about this time. New
Orleans had fallen, the Merrimac
was none. Lee had retreated from
Maryland. and the Union victories
IN the southwest had a depressing
effect. The Richmond father. in
passing conscrlption act displeased
many. The peopl= protested against
such arbitrary proceedings, and held
frequent and heated Indignation
meetings; finally, they met, as we
have seen, in solemn conclave, re-
solving to set up confederacy of
| their own.
Then followed what was STYLED
'the reign OF terror in Jones county,"
President Knight issued an order
requiring all aliens-enemies-to
leave the county. A refusal to com.
ply with this order gave an excuse
tor bloody butchery and the burning
of dwellings. An act of conscripuon
was passed IN 1863 by KING hts
government, calling into service all
ablebodied citizens of Jones county,
between the ages of IS and 45 years,
and ordering them to report at once
to Knight; this order was strictly
enforced and the torch freely applied
to the houses of absent confederates
Confiscation of horses, mules and
cattle were unceremoniously exc
cuted. On several occasions Knights S
cavalry raided into the hostile coun-
try and safely returned with captured
cattle and forage-on one occasion,
an expedition sent out, captured and
brought IN a Confederate wagon
train, which greatly emboldened the
participants to other and like
} deeds.
Gen. Lowery, the present COVER
nor Of Mississippi, commanded the
Confederate forces sent to crush ou,
the Jones county rebellion, and me,
with stubborn and well planned re
{ sistance. But for the timely arrival
| of his artillery he would have had
| much more serious work. Knigh
and his men took to the swamps anC
e carried on their warfare from these
s fastnesses until after the surrende
: of Gen. Lee. Strong defensiv'
!. earth works were thrown up, ant
= rifle pits wee made into these men
o. women and ch,ldren-old enough t,
!. hold gun, took their turns at keep
s ing at bay the real Contederates.
g has been estimated that an army G
e 10 900 people were under Knight
IS command, in armed resistance to tn
IS Davis government. The knigl
If government was not without its ent
:. mics within itself, and many house
If holds were divided in teelin;
es families were broken up and tho'
So members who would not espou
tv the cause OF the Jones county cece.
We s,onists were driyen beyond Il
Id county lines with threats and bitt
e. denunciations. AT the close of I
%. war number of these exiles retur
,is ed to the county to find their hon,
" gone. and meet with a receptl
,th from those who had remained ste,
his fast to Knights policy more bit
ant than the scenes at their expulsio
he The old wounds of Knight confis'
rift ton and exile acts were open
in. afresh, and those who had fled bcft
the the fire, sword, or halter would |
ws be admitted to the hearthstones
re- their former homes and famili'
~. anlmosities were rekindled at
cts sight OF some father or brother "
on had served the real confederacy a
the volunteer, and had now returned
vs. the close of the war. A sort of /
at Klux was organized in the cou
and mysterious disappearances "
of frequent; the torch was freely
nled and ouarrels between