The film opens in late 1862 at the Battle of Corinth. Newton Knight serves as a medic in the Confederate Army. He is quickly disillusioned by the war, realizing it is a "rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight." His breaking point occurs when his young nephew, Daniel, is drafted and subsequently killed in battle.
When his young nephew is drafted and subsequently killed in battle, Knight abandons the army. He returns to Jones County to protect his family and neighbors from Confederate tax collectors. Free State of Jones (2016) - Plot - IMDb free state of jones summary
The war eventually ends, but the victory is bittersweet. While slavery is technically abolished, the social order of the South resists change. The film shifts tone to explore the harsh realities of the Reconstruction era. The film opens in late 1862 at the Battle of Corinth