Garry Adelman, a Civil War historian, praises a scene from Gary Ross’ Free State of Jones for its historical accuracy. Released in 2016, the historical war movie starred an ensemble cast of Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, and Keri Russell. Inspired by the true story of Newton Knight, the story centered on the cynical deserter from the Confederate Army known who led a group of former Confederate soldiers in an uprising against the corrupt local confederate government. The story is based on the true life events that take place in Jones County, Mississippi during the Civil War and its aftermath.
