Unit abbreviations on two of the surviving flags were applied with separately cut and applied red cotton letters. Moreover, the ones made by the Richmond Clothing Depot used the square canton of the second national flag rather than the slightly rectangular one that was specified by the law. The Confederate Congress specified that the new design be a white field "with the union (now used as the battle flag) to be a square of two-thirds the width of the flag, having the ground red; thereupon a broad saltire of blue, bordered with white, and emblazoned with mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States. Was there a cavalry size Army of Northern Virginia battle flag? This was replaced again in 2003 with a flag resembling the Stars and Bars. [53] The "rebel flag" is considered by some to be a highly divisive and polarizing symbol in the United States. The union blue extending down through the white space and stopping at the lower red space. p. 211. The thirteen stars stand for the thirteen states that were part of the Confederacy. Since the end of the Civil War, private and official use of the Confederate flags, particularly the battle flag, has continued amid philosophical, political, cultural, and racial controversy in the United States. The general consensus is that it was designed by Prussian-American artist Nicola Marschall.The design consists of a red-white-red triband (possibly inspired by the Austrian flag, with which Marcschall would . Confederate National flag of Fort McAllister, Confederate National Flag captured from Fort Jackson, Battle flag of the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment used at Antietam, Surrender flag of Army of Northern Virginia. [37] Also, Confederate regiments carried many other flags, which added to the possibility of confusion. The first national flag of the Confederacy was the Stars and Bars (left) in 1861, but it caused confusion on the battlefield and rancour off it "Everybody wants a new Confederate flag,". J. Hardee. It is historically also known as Memorial Hall. The "Stars and Bars" flag was only selected by the Congress of March 4, 1861, the day of the deadline. It is commonly referred to as the Rebel Flag, and often mistakenly called the Stars & Bars. Riddle submitted his flag proposals to Stephen Foster Hale on February 21, 1861. In 2000, the flag over the state house was removed, at the . The Stars and Bars served as the first national flag of the Confederate States of America from 4 Mar. The Stars and Bars' resemblance to the U.S. flag, combined with similarities between the two sides' uniforms and the general confusion of battle, contributed to an incident at First Manassas in which Confederate forces fired on a Confederate infantry brigade commanded by Jubal A. Heritage or no, the Confederate flag retains its associations with centuries of racial injustice. They resemble too closely the dishonored 'Flag of Yankee Doodle' we imagine that the 'Battle Flag' will become the Southern Flag by popular acclaim." According to one account, these flags were later turned in so that their bunting could be recycled into other flags. That changed in 1948 with the Dixiecrats, or States Rights Democratic Party, a racist, pro-segregation splinterparty formed by Southern Democrats. ", The square "battle flag" is also properly known as "the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia". Besides, many military units had their own regimental flags they would carry into battle. On May 1, 1863, the Confederacy adopted its first official national flag, often called the Stainless Banner. The first national flag of the Confederate States of America was created in 1861 and had seven stars to represent the breakaway states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama,. Beauregard and Joseph Johnston urged that a new Confederate flag be designed for battle. Bats and agaves make tequila possibleand theyre both at risk, This empress was the most dangerous woman in Rome. STARS AND BARS Images of 11 Star versions of the first Confederate national flag. The similarity between the stars and bars and the stars and strips caused many cases of mistaken identity during the first battle of Manassas or Bull Run in July of 1861. The third national flag of the Confederate States of America. But though it was extremely popular, this new battle flag which eventually became known as the Southern Crosswasnt adopted as the Confederacys official military or government symbol. Miles had already designed a flag that later became known as the Confederate Battle Flag, and he favored his flag over the "Stars and Bars" proposal. The white stars on the blue field represent the original Confederate States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. "[11], The flag is also known as the Stainless Banner, and the matter of the person behind its design remains a point of contention. Though inextricably linked with the Confederacy, the flag was never its official symbol. But how did the battle flag, also known as the Southern Cross, come to represent the Confederacy in the first place? Perry was a former colonel in the Confederate army during the war, and he presumably based the design on the First National Flag of the Confederacy, commonly known as the Stars and Bars. Then, as Confederate veterans began to die in the early 20th century, groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy pushed to commemorate themand make their version of history the official doctrine of Southern states. (Miles had originally planned to use a blue St. George's Cross like that of the South Carolina Sovereignty Flag, but was dissuaded from doing so.) The design of the Stars and Bars varied over the following two years. Deliveries began on 18 July 1861 and continued until 7 August. How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? Pinterest. [18] The "Stars and Bars" was also criticized on ideological grounds for its resemblance to the U.S. flag. Generals Beauregard and Johnston and Quartermaster General Cabell approved the 12-star Confederate Battle Flag's design at the Ratcliffe home, which served briefly as Beauregard's headquarters, near Fairfax Court House in September 1861. In the wake of the 2017 Charlottesville white supremacist rally, demand for the banner surged across the country. Replacing the Star and Bars in May of 1863, the first official use was at the funeral of Thomas Jonathan Stonewall Jackson. It resembles the Yankee flag, and that is enough to make it unutterably detestable." The ANV was never the official flag of the Confederacy and was not called The Stars and Bars. But once Reconstructionended in 1877, white Southerners hastened to restore what they saw as their rightful place at the top of a racially segregated social order. It was also challenged by Black activists and their white allies. The identification stuck, and the flags use proliferated. Rogers defended his redesign as symbolizing the primary origins of the people of the Confederacy, with the saltire of the Scottish flag and the red bar from the flag of France, and having "as little as possible of the Yankee blue" the Union Army wore blue, the Confederates gray.[13]. "Neither Arkansas nor Missouri enacted legislation to adopt an official State flag" (Cannon 2005, p. 48). Native American Flags. . He argued that the battle flag must be used, but it was necessary to emblazon it for a national flag, but as simply as possible, with a plain white field. STARS AND BARS Images of Lone Star versions of the first Confederate national flag. Can we bring a species back from the brink? The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, How cosmic rays helped find a tunnel in Egypt's Great Pyramid, Who first rode horses? Similarly the patriotic ladies of the South who prepared most of the company and regimental flags for the military units raised in the Southern states chose whatever proportions and sizes seemed aesthetic. Many restored flags are always on display. Our Stars and Bars flags are made from 100% Dupont Solar-Max nylon material or 100% cotton. In the U.S. Army the garrison flag (flown on special occasions) was 20 feet on the hoist by 36 feet on the fly, while the storm flag (flown during inclement weather and less formal occurences) was directed to measure 10 feet on the hoist by 20 feet on the fly. This firm, on open market purchases, supplied Confederate 1st national flags to at least seven units in the District of South Carolina between 8 August 1862 and 10 February 1863. [19] As early as April 1861, a month after the flag's adoption, some were already criticizing the flag, calling it a "servile imitation" and a "detested parody" of the U.S. The result was anything but uniformity in the colors carried by the armies that coallesced in the Shenandoah Valley and around Centreville in June. This action piqued the interest of other members of the Foundation, reenactment groups and family members. This would serve to show the world the South was truly sovereign. The official version was to have the stars in a circle, with the number corresponding to the States actually admitted to the Confederacy. Deep South. But as secession got underway, the Confederate States of America adopted a flag that riffed off the Unions stars and stripes. In addition to the 112 1st national flags from states east of the Mississippi, a number of Confederate 1st national flags from the trans-Mississippi region have also been surveyed. Stars and Bars (First National Flag) image by Wayne J. Lovett, 24 June 2001 The flag which first flew over Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, SC in 1861. But it didnt look like that from a distanceand in the thick of battle, it was hard to tell the two apart. Four camp colors or flank markers accompanied each of these national colors. The editor of the Charleston Mercury expressed a similar view: "It seems to be generally agreed that the 'Stars and Bars' will never do for us. The blue flag with the circle of white told the Yankees that they facing the troops of Gen. Wm. Add to Plan. The Confederate War Department chose two similar sized flags for the forts that came under their control as a result of secession. According to Museum of the Confederacy Director John Coski, Miles' design was inspired by one of the many "secessionist flags" flown at the South Carolina secession convention in Charleston of December 1860. This caused major problems at the July 1861 Battle of First Manassas and during other skirmishes as some troops mistakenly fired on their own comrades. Solar max fabric also has a special UV resistance built right into the weave of the fabric to minimize sun fade and chemical deterioration. The flag adopted by the delegates to the Louisianas secession convention in January of 1861 represented Louisianas historical roots. Consequently, considerable . The garrison flag was to measure 18 feet on the hoist by 28 feet on the fly, and the storm flag was to be half that size 9 feet on the hoist by 14 feet on the fly. Some of the homages were outright mimicry, while others were less obviously inspired by the Stars and Stripes, yet were still intended to pay homage to that flag. In 1956, prompted by the Supreme Courts Brown v. Board of Educationruling that declared segregation unconstitutional, Georgiaadopted a state flag that prominently incorporated the symbol. The first official use of the "Stainless Banner" was to drape the coffin of General Thomas J. Beauregard gave a speech encouraging the soldiers to treat the new flag with honor and that it must never be surrendered. by the flag committee on March 4,1861. First variant of flag proposal by A. Bonand of Savannah, Georgia, Second variant of flag proposal by A. Bonand, Flag proposal submitted by the "Ladies of Charleston", First variant of flag proposal by L. P. Honour of Charleston, South Carolina, L. P. Honour's second variant of First national flag proposal, Confederate First national flag proposal by John Sansom of Alabama, William Porcher Miles' flag proposal, ancestor flag of the Confederate Battle Flag, John G. Gaines' First national flag proposal, Flag proposal by J. M. Jennings of Lowndesboro, Alabama, Flag proposal submitted by an unknown person of Louisville, Kentucky, One of three finalist designs examined by Congress on March 4, 1861, lost out to Stars and Bars, Second of three finalists in the Confederate First national flag competition, Confederate flag proposal by Mrs E. G. Carpenter of Cassville, Georgia, Confederate flag proposal by Thomas H. Hobbs of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Flag proposal by Eugene Wythe Baylor of Louisiana, Flag proposal submitted by "H" of South Carolina, A Confederate flag proposal by Hamilton Coupes that was submitted on February 1, 1861, The Confederate national flag proposal of Mrs Irene Riddle, wife of William T. Riddle of Eutaw, Alabama. Due to the flag's resemblance to one of truce, some Confederate soldiers cut off the flag's white portion, leaving only the canton.[33]. Soon after, the first Confederate Battle Flag was also flown. This particular battle ensign was the only example taken around the world, finally becoming the last Confederate flag lowered in the Civil War; this happened aboard the commerce raider CSS Shenandoah in Liverpool, England, on November 7, 1865. The committee asked the public to submit thoughts and ideas on the topic and was, as historian John M. Coski puts it, "overwhelmed by requests not to abandon the 'old flag' of the United States." Thereafter, the number of stars continued to increase until Tennessee gained her seat as the 11th State on 2 July 1861. It was flown forward aboard all Confederate warships while they were anchored in port. Flag officially used: September 1860 Summer, 1861, George P. Gilliss flag, also known as the Biderman Flag, the only Confederate flag captured in California (Sacramento). Congress did not adopted a formal Act codifying this flag, but it is described in the Report of the Committee on Flag and Seal, in the following language: The flag of the Confederate States of America shall consist of a red field with a white space extending horizontally through the center, and equal in width to one-third the width of the flag. It was never the official flag of the Confederacy. These flags show a high preponderance of flags with thirteen and fifteen stars, with most arranged in a circle around a center star, either of the same size or larger than the balance of the stars. [3] In January 1862, George William Bagby, writing for the Southern Literary Messenger, wrote that many Confederates disliked the flag. When does spring start? And both South Carolina and Alabama began flying it over their capitols. To this end, he proposed his own flag design featuring a blue saltire on white Fimbriation with a field of red. This is the First National Flag of the Confederacy, the Stars and Bars. These include flags displayed in states; cities, towns and counties; schools, colleges and universities; private organizations and associations; and individuals. What if we could clean them out? Offline . It was flying above the Confederate batteries that first opened fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor, in South Carolina beginning the Civil War. Stars and Bars From March of 1861, through April of 1863, during America's Civil War, the Stars and Bars was the official flag of the Confederacy. The roughly 5,000-year-old human remains were found in graves from the Yamnaya culture, and the discovery may partially explain their rapid expansion throughout Europe. In February of 1863 the purchase of these 1st national flags ceased when General Beauregard instituted the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, as modified by Charlston Clothing Depot. Find the perfect The stars and bars flag stock video clips. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Across the South, Citizens Councils and the Ku Klux Klanflew the battle flag as they intimidated Black citizens. Bar, Cocktails, $ $$ Facebook. But given the popular support for a flag similar to the U.S. flag ("the Stars and Stripes" originally established and designed in June 1777 during the Revolutionary War), the "Stars and Bars" design was approved by the committee.[17]. Johnston also specified the various sizes to be used by different types of military units. More than double that number (12), however, bore eleven stars, with all but two arranged in a circle that included all eleven stars. Taking this into account, Miles changed his flag, removing the palmetto and crescent, and substituting a heraldic saltire ("X") for the upright cross. "[40], According to Coski, the Saint Andrew's Cross (also used on the flag of Scotland as a white saltire on a blue field) had no special place in Southern iconography at the time. Find the perfect the stars and bars flag stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. A crowd of white teenagers protest school integration in Montogmery, Alabama, in 1963. But despite recurrentdebates about its meaning and appropriateness, the flag never really disappeared. That flag was a blue St George's Cross (an upright or Latin cross) on a red field, with 15 white stars on the cross, representing the slave-holding states,[38][39] and, on the red field, palmetto and crescent symbols. Neither state voted to secede or ever came under full Confederate control. Newsome was arrested, but state officials voted to remove the flag from the building the following month. This bunting was placed in the hands of Richmond military goods dealer, George Ruskell. One of Earth's loneliest volcanoes holds an extraordinary secret. The First Official Flag of the Confederacy. As word spread about the conservation program the flag of the 10th Louisiana Infantry was adopted by a Canadian Reenacting Group that portrayed the unit. STARS AND BARS Images of 7 Star versions of the first Confederate national flag. Many different designs were proposed during the solicitation for a second Confederate national flag, nearly all based on the Battle Flag. "[1][5] Confederate Congressman Peter W. Gray proposed the amendment that gave the flag its white field. As the crowd of President Trumps supporters rioted, many hoisted the symbol of a short-lived splinter nation that tore the Union apart. These Confederate national colors seem to have measured 4 feet on their hoist by 5 1/2 feet on the fly. Adopted by the provisional Confederate Congress in February of 1861, this was the first of three national Confederate flags. Heres why each season begins twice. It was generally made with a 2:3 aspect ratio, but a few very wide 1:2 ratio ensigns still survive today in museums and private collections. Choose from a wide range of high quality 4K or HD videos and footage. From then on, the battle flag grew in its identification with the Confederacy and the South in general. Four flags with nine stars (eight around a center star) emanated from Louisiana but two also were made in Mississippi in the same style. Regiments carried flags to help commanders observe and assess battles in the warfare of the era. When rebels fired on Fort Sumter in April 1861, theyflew a blue banner with a single white star called the Bonnie Blue Flag. On November 28, 1861, Confederate soldiers in General Robert E. Lee's newly reorganized Army of Northern Virginia received the new battle flags in ceremonies at Centreville and Manassas, Virginia, and carried them throughout the Civil War. South Carolina, which had defiantly flown the banner at its capitol for years,retired it that year, and multiple retailers stopped selling merchandise featuring the flag now labeled ahate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League. [15], A monument in Louisburg, North Carolina, claims the "Stars and Bars" "was designed by a son of North Carolina / Orren Randolph Smith / and made under his direction by / Catherine Rebecca (Murphy) Winborne. Notable examples include the flag that adorned the coffin of Confederate president Jefferson Davis, that of the Washington Artillery, famed artillery unit of New Orleans, the First Florida Infantry which saw action along side many Louisiana units at Shiloh, and the Sixth Louisiana (Orleans Rifles) embroidered with the inscription Let Us Alone, Trust In God. There is an active flag restoration program and donors may contribute funds to be used toward the restoration of any flag. Nonetheless both were still represented in the Confederate Congress and had Confederate shadow governments composed of deposed former state politicians. On the border of Fairfax, Beverly Grove, and La Brea, Blue Collar serves up Art Deco and noir vibes. These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? President Jefferson Davis arrived by train at Fairfax Station soon after and was shown the design for the new battle flag at the Ratcliffe House. The very first national flag of the Confederacy was designed by Prussian artist Nicola Marschall in Marion, Alabama. Three horizontal stripes of equal height, alternating red and white, with a blue square two-thirds the height of the flag as the canton. The first official flag of the Confederacy, called the " Stars and Bars ," was flown from March 5, 1861, to May 26, 1863. Can we bring a species back from the brink?, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. [42] The flag's stars represented the number of states in the Confederacy. READ MORE LEE. Despite the 9:14 proportions established by the Confederate War Department, other civilian makers of the Stars & Bars soon gravitated to different proportions that included 2:3, 3:5, and 1:2. For many on the receiving end of hundreds of years of racism, the Confederate battle flag embodies everything from hatred to personal intimidationa far cry from the sanitized Lost Cause narrative that helped fuel its rise. Inside the canton are seven to thirteen white five-pointed stars of equal size, arranged in a circle and pointing outward. What changed?). From this bunting Ruskell assembled at least 43 flags, for which he was paid $11.50 each. No seven star Confederate flags survive from these states. A modification of that design was adopted on March 4, 1865, about a month before the end of the Read More symbolism of sovereignty "[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29], The Confederate Congress debated whether the white field should have a blue stripe and whether it should be bordered in red. Marschall also designed the Confederate army uniform. Contributions can be made to the Memorial Hall Foundation by sending a check, using a credit card or by contributing through the website. When the American Civil War broke out, the "Stars and Bars" confused the battlefield at the First Battle of Bull Run because of its similarity to the U.S. (or Union) flag, especially when it was hanging limp on its flagstaff. Adult Admission: Adult $10.00 Children (under the age of 14) $5:00. After the battle, General P. G. T. Beauregard wrote that he was "resolved then to have [our flag] changed if possible, or to adopt for my command a 'Battle flag', which would be Entirely different from any State or Federal flag". 1st National Confederate Flag 7 Star Stars and Bars Confederate 1st National Cotton Flag 4 x 6 ft. $ 109.95. The original flag of the Confederate States of America, commonly known as the STARS AND BARS, was approved by the Congress of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States, and first hoisted over the capitol building in Montgomery, Alabama, on the afternoon of the 4th day of March, 1861. The flag was adopted by the permanent congress on May 1, 1863. The flags of the Confederate States of America have a history of three successive designs during the American Civil War. In 2015, the flag came roaring back into the national consciousness when a white supremacist killed nine churchgoers at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Although this design was never a national flag, it is the most commonly recognized symbol of the Confederacy. The Confederate battle flag was born of necessity after the Battle of Bull Run. Although the creating legislation for the national flag adopted by the Confederate Provisional Congress on 4 March 1861 did not specify the proportions that the new national flag was to follow, the Confederate War Department shortly afterward determined on the sizes for the military garrison and storm flags. Of 32 Confederate 1st national flags from the states of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, a surprisingly large proportion of the Georgia flags (5 out of 25- 20%) bore seven stars in a circle. It was designed by Prussian -American artist Nicola Marschall in Marion, Alabama, and is said to resemble the Flag of Austria, with which Marschall would have been familiar. This flag proposal was the first variant submitted by William T. Riddle of Eutaw, Alabama. Just under half of these flags (18) bore eleven stars, of which 8 bore a center star with the other ten stars surrounding it. They traveled to New Orleans from Ontario to unveil the flag. A flag with a blue field and a single white star was used by the Louisiana Florida Parishes when they formed the Republic of West Florida in 1810. The First National Flag -- Stars and Bars May 4, 1861 - May 1, 1863 The Confederate States of America solicited designs for a national flag early in 1861. [59][60], Drawing in the United Confederate Veterans 1895 Sponsor souvenir album. The museum is also known as Louisianas Civil War Museum at Confederate Memorial Hall. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. The diagonal cross was preferable, he wrote, because "it avoided the religious objection about the cross (from the Jews and many Protestant sects), because it did not stand out so conspicuously as if the cross had been placed upright thus." [6] In explaining the white background of his design, Thompson wrote, "As a people, we are fighting to maintain the Heaven-ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause." The first Confederate national flag bore 7 stars representing the first seven states to secede from the U.S. and band together as the Confederate States of America: South Carolina, Mississippi . The result was the square flag sometimes known as the . Also available below is a Vinyl Decal (suitable for outdoor use). First National Confederate States of America Flag - Cotton. Their cantons bore eleven white, 5-pointed stars arranged in a circle. Hundreds of examples were submitted from across the Confederate States and from states that were not yet part of Confederacy (e.g. Designed by William Porcher Miles, one of the congressmen of the Confederate, the new flag had a blue X-shaped pattern called St. Andrew's Cross against a red background.