William moved to his father's farm in Horseshoe Bend, Smith Co., sometime before 1860, probably after his first wife, Matilda, died, leaving him with the care of their children. The 1860 Smith County census shows William and wife, "Elizabeth", married within the year and living next to Ellis E. Knight. William's three older children are living with them.
William Knight enlisted 1 March 1863 at McMinnville, TN, and served as a private in Company C, 28th Consolidated TN Infantry Regiment, CSA, until 6 May 1865, at which time he surrendered in Atlanta, Georgia. He took the oath of allegiance on 12 May 1865. His younger brother, Abram M. Knight (Private, Dillehay's Company, 55th McKoin's Infantry), is assumed to have been killed in action at the Battle of Shiloh.
William enlisted after Smith County was under Union occupation and just three weeks before the birth of his son, Ridley Clay Knight. While he was away, his wife, Aletha, was rocking Ridley when, looking down, she saw an eyeball peeking through a knothole in the floor. She threw a pillow over the hole and continued rocking her baby. When her husband returned home from the war, she did not recognize him at first, as he was crippled and had a long beard and long hair. He remained a cripple the rest of his life.
William's service record states that he had a dark complexion, dark hair and eyes, was 6' tall and signed by mark. Census records concur that he could not read nor write. He did not apply for a pension.
In October, 1872, William C. Knight purchased his father's 138 acre farm in Horseshoe Bend for $1,200. He does not appear in the 1910 census, so it is assumed that he died between 1900 and 1910. His exact date of death and burial place are unknown at this time.
ALETHA WIFE OF
WILLIAM
KNIGHT
BORN
MAR 27, 1836
DIED
APR 5, 1909
Unfortunately, there is no photo of him available at this time.