VANITY: Free State of Jones

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124037/?ref_=nv_sr_1 | self

[ZinGirl]

Civil War movie. I saw this last night and I highly recommend it. I'm not a Civil War enthusiast nor do I claim to be an expert in either Civil War or wars in general. However, this movie moved me. "and that's all I have to say about that". :) (posting this in General/Chat. Don't want to break any rules or ruffle any feathers)

[WKB]

Free State Ping

[Pelham]

Well Rudy Leverett is not “the government”. He is the author of the first scholarly book on Jones County, published in 1984 by the University of Mississippi.

The movie is of course Hollywood.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Thanks for the review.

[WKB]

{I believe one of Newton Knight’s ancestors is an extra,)

Must have been a pretty old ancestor.

[deport]

Since you were moved by the movie you may want to read the following:

The True Story of the ‘Free State of Jones’
Smithsonian Magazine
By Richard Grant;
Photographs by William Widmer

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-free-state-jones-180958111/?no-ist

[ZinGirl]

I somewhat agree. There was so much to tell that trying to condense it might have injured(?) it. But, better than not. :)

[ZinGirl]

Right.

I can find the list of the research which Gary Ross cited if you would like.

There are MANY articles/books on Jones County. Bottom line was it involved "the government".

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I remember seeing an older movie fifty five years ago about a county inside the Confederacy which proclaimed itself non Confederate.

All I remember is a rider yelling at settlers that If you don’t want to be confederate, “come to (name escapes me)COUNTY!

[Mozilla]

I’m all Civil Wared out because as a buff in the 90s I went to recreations, conferences and saw the PBS series. I have seen many movies like Gettysburg, Glory and Lincoln. I had no idea about this movie. I moved on at some point to the Wild West. I am into history. I am interested and I will read on it. I now have been consumed since finding FR in 2009 or 2010 with studying Socialism and Communism and Fascism.

[ZinGirl]

thank you!

[drjimmy]

Well Rudy Leverett is not “the government”. He is the author of the first scholarly book on Jones County, published in 1984 by the University of Mississippi.

Rudy Leverett is also the great-grandson of Amos McLemore, so while he may be a scholar, he is certainly not an unbiased one.

[ZinGirl]

I hope you can read about it, at least. It’s a movie I would have either rented or watched OnDemand...ended up having reasons to see it on the big screen. :)

[Pelham]

Apparently the University of Mississippi found his scholarship good enough to warrant publishing it. This isn’t a vanity publisher.

Condemning an author’s work on his background rather than any actual evidence of bias is in logic known as the Genetic Fallacy.

[Pelham]

“I can find the list of the research which Gary Ross cited if you would like. “

That would give the opportunity to vet what he is relying on.

“Bottom line was it involved “the government”.

In what fashion?

[higgmeister]

I am sure this movie would move me if I ever felt the insane urge to watch this revisionist tripe. I would rather use OTC gelcaps if I have the need to be moved.

[houeto]

Thank you for the ping WKB.

[ZinGirl]

welp...the same "government" which came up with the "Twenty Negroes Rule" and the same "government" which led to the deaths of the women and children left behind yet had to fork over the corn, horses, and hogs. A planter in neighboring Smith County warned Governor John J. Pettus in November 1862, “If something is not done by the legislature to open the corn cribs that are now closed against the widow and the orphan, and soldier’s families, who are destitute, I know that we are undone. Men cannot be expected to fight for the Government that permits their wives and children to starve.”

In any case, I will try to find the list of researchers Gary Ross credited at the end of the film. I know he has been working on this for 10 years. I'm not a genius and I don't know history...but this movie moved me....pretty much all I can say.

I don't expect anyone to do anything different with their life because of my vanity. It's rare that I post one. I appreciate anyone just taking a look...that's all.

[ZinGirl]

Interesting...I wonder what that was. I’m not a Civil War buff by any means, so hopefully someone else would have some insight. (or....there’s another movie to be made! :))

[leaning conservative]

I am clueless as to how to post, but if you want a good movie howl go to Salon & read the Blake Lively shark movie review. You cannot miss the comments.
Surprisingly the majority mocked the writer. I am more & more convinced that some people inhabit a completely parallel universe from everyone else.

[higgmeister]

See this question found on FREE STATE OF JONES (2016) - QUESTIONING THE STORY:

Did Newton Knight's fighters really overthrow Confederate forces in Jones County?

Yes. In the spring of 1864, the Knight Company declared loyalty to the Union and overthrew the Confederate authorities in Jones County, Mississippi. In the process, they crippled the "tax in kind" system of the Confederacy and redistributed Confederate supplies. They also vowed to defend each other's farms and homes. According to the legend, the county subsequently became known as the Free State of Jones. The members of the Knight Company engaged in their final skirmish on January 10, 1865 at Sal's Battery (sometimes spelled Sallsbattery), driving away Confederate infantry and cavalry. The Confederacy fell three months later. -Smithsonian.com

It likely was simple to overthrow Confederate forces that had already been totally defeated by Grant's Western Army.

The soldiers and civilians in Vicksburg suffered greatly from Union bombardment and impending starvation. They clung to hope that General Johnston would arrive with reinforcements, but Johnston was both cut off and too cautious. On July 4 (1863), Pemberton surrendered his army and the city to Grant. In conjunction with the defeat of Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg the previous day, Vicksburg is widely considered one of the turning points of the war. By July 8 (1863), after Banks captured Port Hudson, the entire Mississippi River was in Union hands, and the Confederacy was split in two.[30]

Western Theater of the American Civil War

By the Spring of 1864 Grant had taken command of all Union Armies and handed the command of the Army of the Mississippi to Sherman. They had taken Tennessee and were planning the Atlanta Campaign and the notorious March Through Georgia.