From left to right, front row, M. J. Malone (wearing vest), Isaac Evins, John Howell,
J. E. Gold, W. R. Perkins, Sam Nixon, M. N. Ford, and Tom Williams.

Second row, two unknown men, J. C. Prichard, Joe Sullivan, W. H. (Boge) Flippen,
James Nixon, Mrs. James Nixon, Ned Mathews, Mrs. Ned Mathews.

Third row, two unknown men , Roy Samson, Dee Bradley, unknown woman, Eliza Mofield,
unknown woman, Ritchie Porter (wearing white hat), unknown woman, William
Nixon (man with eye patch), Mrs. William Nixon, unknown woman.

Back row, standing, Mrs. Genie McClellan, Genie McClellan, unknown woman, F. P. McGinness,
unknown man, Allen Powell, Sheriff Sam Vanderpool, man to right of flag unknown, Lofton Fisher
(without coat) Baxter Key, unknown man, Landy McDonald, Jim Gann and Chief of Police Bill Mofield.

On Saturday, May 8, 1926 the Town of Carthage was host to 12 of the remaining
22 Confederate War soldiers, their widows and friends, and two Union Army veterans.

On the date the remaining 22 wearers of the gray, then remembered by many as the “fastfading thin
gray line,” were composed of the following from Smith County: M. N. Ford, S. O. Nixon, and T. J.
Williams, Carthage; J. C. Nixon, Monoville; E. H. Beasley, Dixon Springs; Ed Kittrell and John
Jones, Difficult; Peter Hesson, Pleasant Shade; W. T. Jones and Isaac Evins, Sykes; John Harris,
Chestnut Mound; J. C. Prichard, Lancaster; Joe Sullivan, Clubb Springs; Marcus White, Rome; Andy
Oliver and George Gann, Rome; W. H. Flippen, Carthage, Rt. 2, J. E. Gold, Gordonsville; T. H.
Hinson, Grant; J. B. Pendleton, Brush Creek; W. R. Perkins, Stonewall; and A. B. King, Defeated.
Out of the 22 last surviving veterans, 12 were present, and are in the picture above. They are
(not in the order in which they appear in the picture), M. N. Ford, S. O. Nixon, T. J. Williams,
J. C. Nixon, E. H. Beasley, Isaac Evins, J. C. Prichard, Joe Sullivan, W. H. Flippen, J. E. Gold,
W. R. Perkins and A. B. King. Among widows of Confederate soldiers present were, Mrs. Martha
Turner and Mrs. Rebecca Samson of Carthage; and Mrs. Ellen Booker of Defeated.

Two soldiers, who wore the blue uniforms of the Federal Army of the 60’s were present, and were
extended the hospitality of the occasion. They were John Howell, (thrid [sic] man from left,
front row in picture), of Jackson County, and Addison Dean of Macon County.
The soldiers, their families and friends, were entertained by splendid addresses by Rev. G. L.
Ridenour, Baxter Key, L. B. Flippen, Sen. H. B. McGinness, Revs. Orin Lynch and J. L. Smotherman.
According to Baxter Key, (fifth man from right, back row), the meeting of the last surviving
members of the the [sic] Confederacy on that May 8 afternoon, was the last convention to be held
in this county. Standing next to Mr. Key is Lofton Fisher (in white shirt) of Carthage.
On that May 8 day the Confederate Association of Smith County was reorganized, by electing sons
and daughters of Confederate soldiers, as follows: L. B. Flippen, president; Roy Sampson,
vice-president; Mrs. Floyd Robinson, secretary and J. E. High assistant secretary and treasurer.
During the day, Confederate soldiers W. H. Flippen, Isaac Evins, W. R. Perkins and J. C. Prichard,
made feeling reminiscent talks of their experiences during the dark days of the sixties. The
soldiers and their immediate families and the Federal soldiers were guests of the Chapman House
at dinner that night. Mr. Baxter Key, who spoke to the group, was a veteran of World War I. He
is now Attorney-General. Mr. Key said that it was his understanding that most of the veterans
appearing in the picture above saw extensive action during the Civil War and most fought
throughout the entire conflict. The picture is the property of Mrs. Eliza Mofield of Carthage.
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