Dr. Charles Cox is guest speaker at SCV meeting

The Gen. Otho French Strahl Camp 176, Sons of Confederate Veterans, recently conducted its December meeting at the Obion County Museum on Edwards Street in Union City. There were 16 members and two guests in attendance.
The meeting was called to order by Lt. Commander Danny Isbell, who led the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States Flag and the SCV Flag Salute. Chaplain Mike Alexander led the opening prayer.
The group was honored to have Dr. Charles Cox of Jackson, formerly of Union City, as the program speaker. Dr. Cox gave a very interesting presentation about his great-great-grandfather, James Coble, of the 10th Tennessee (Forrest) Cavalry. He told of how he died, how his burial location was found and how it was marked with a headstone some 50 years following the war.
Coble’s son, Mayor James Coble Jr. of Union City, was only 4 years old when his father went off to fight the Yankees. The circumstances surrounding James Coble’s death were revealed in a Jackson, newspaper article written by Capt. D.H. Harts, who gave the order for his men to fire, killing James Coble. The article gave a description of the young unknown soldier who was killed and asked if anyone could identify him from the description and circumstances of his death. Further correspondence between James Coble Jr. and Capt. Harts led him to his father’s grave. The lone monument placed there by James Coble Jr. is still standing today along the ICG railroad near Harts Bridge Road — a living testimony not only for Pvt. Coble but for thousands of Confederate soldiers who yet lie in forgotten graves in their beloved southland.
In other business, the group:
• Received a financial report given by adjutant Jimmy Williams.
• Learned the headstone dedication at the Holloman Cemetery near Mason Hall is still pending.
• Discussed cleaning up the old Holman Cemetery across the road from Memorial Gardens. Compatriot Robert Holman’s grandfather is buried there along with three other Confederate veterans. The cemetery is overgrown and littered with trash from nearby trailer park occupants. A work day will be scheduled to begin the clean up.
• Heard an update from compatriot John Abernathy on the fabrication of the Confederate Soldier Monument for Parks Cemetery Ridge Confederate Memorial Plaza. He and compatriot Dave Faulkner are doing a great job with this project and expect it to be completed soon, a spokesman said. A dedication is planned for April to correspond with Confederate History Month.
Compatriot Bobby Nichols led a closing prayer.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans is the nation’s largest Southern heritage, history and honor organization open to all male descendants of a Confederate soldier who served honorably in the War for Southern Independence. For more information, call 1-800-MYSOUTH or visit the website scvcamp176.org.

Published in The Messenger 12.15.11

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