Even a few fourteen- and fifteen-starred ensigns were made to include states expected to secede but never completely joined the Confederacy. "[1][5] Confederate Congressman Peter W. Gray proposed the amendment that gave the flag its white field. 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. According to one account, these flags were later turned in so that their bunting could be recycled into other flags. In July 1944, one month after the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy, the 79th Infantry Division drove Nazi troops out of the French town La Haye-du-Puits. At the First Battle of Manassas, near Manassas, Virginia, the similarity between the "Stars and Bars" and the "Stars and Stripes" caused confusion and military problems. In such cases, one of the company flags would be chosen to serve as the regimental flag. The . 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. The number remained 11 through the summer, but increased when Missouri and Kentucky were admitted to the CSA by Acts of Congress approved 28 November 1861 and 10 December 1861, respectively. They objected to the Democratic Partys adoption of a pro-civil rights platform and were dismayed when hundreds of thousands of Black Americans registered to vote in Democratic primaries after the Supreme Court declared all-white primaries unconstitutional. The Adopt-A-Flag Program was initiated. Confederate monuments soondotted the South, and the battle flag was added to the state flag of Mississippi. The name derived from the blue canton with a circle of white stars and the three red, white, and red bars in the flag's field. The white stars on the blue field represent the original Confederate States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. [citation needed], The First Confederate Navy jacks, in use from 1861 to 1863, consisted of a circle of seven to fifteen five-pointed white stars against a field of "medium blue." By the early 20th century, white Southerners had mythologized an imagined South that fought the war not to uphold slavery but to protect states rights and a genteel way of lifean idyll endangered by Northern aggression and interference. 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 Confederacy's first official national flag, often called the Stars and Bars, flew from March 4, 1861, to May 1, 1863. flag. [18] The "Stars and Bars" was also criticized on ideological grounds for its resemblance to the U.S. flag. 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. Find the perfect the stars and bars flag stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. But as secession got underway, the Confederate States of America. A modification of that design was adopted on March 4, 1865, about a month before the end of the Read More symbolism of sovereignty Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. Inside the canton are seven to thirteen white five-pointed stars of equal size, arranged in a circle and pointing outward. STARS AND BARS Images of 7 Star versions of the first Confederate national flag. When does spring start? More than double that number (12), however, bore eleven stars, with all but two arranged in a circle that included all eleven stars. [34][35] As a result of this first usage, the flag received the alternate nickname of the "Jackson Flag". This action piqued the interest of other members of the Foundation, reenactment groups and family members. 1863-1865 version of Confederate Flag. 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. Van Dorn was relieved of command after the Battle of Corinth in 1862. There are over 140 flags in the collection of Memorial Hall, most of which are from Louisiana regiments. Heres why each season begins twice. As historian John M. Coski writes, Confederate heritage organizations insisted that the flag was rightfully theirs and stood only for the honor of their ancestors. At the same time, however, the symbol was publicly claimed by those who challenged Black peoples humanitypeople like Byron De La Beckwith, a Mississippi white supremacist who murdered civil rights activistMedgar Evers in 1963 and who wore a Confederate flag pin on hislapel throughout his 1994trial. [50][51][52] It is also known as the rebel flag, Dixie flag, and Southern cross. Kentucky), and even from Union states (such as New York). [48], The "Bonnie Blue Flag"an unofficial flag in 1861, The "Van Dorn battle flag" used in the Western theaters of operation, Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia or "Robert E. Lee Headquarters Flag", 7-star First national flag of the Confederate States Marine Corps, Flag of the 1st Cherokee Mounted Rifles, under General Stand Watie, The first battle flag of the Perote Guards (Company D, 1st Regiment Alabama Infantry). [47], The Second Confederate Navy Jack was a rectangular cousin of the Confederate Army's battle flag and was in use from 1863 until 1865. 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. STARS AND BARS Images of 8, 9 and 10 Star versions of the first Confederate national flag. Those inspired by the Stars and Stripes were discounted almost immediately by the Committee due to mirroring the Union's flag too closely. Across the South, Citizens Councils and the Ku Klux Klanflew the battle flag as they intimidated Black citizens. The First National Flag of the Confederate States of America, 13 Stars and Bars Flag was used during the Civil War. 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. Were most of the flags made in the Confederacy sewn by hand or by sewing machine? [note 4][20] The first showing of the 13-star flag was outside the Ben Johnson House in Bardstown, Kentucky; the 13-star design was also in use as the Confederate navy's battle ensign[citation needed]. STARS AND BARS Images of 13 Star versions of the first Confederate national flag. CONFEDERATE 1ST NATIONAL UNIT FLAGS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA. It was never the official flag of the Confederacy. LEE. Rogers lobbied successfully to have this alteration introduced in the Confederate Senate. But the battle flag has since been claimed by white supremacists and mythologized by others as an emblem of a rebellious Southern heritage. Currently 24 Flags are on display, while 9 conserved flags await framing, and several others are being considered for conservation. 1861 until 1 May 1863. In the center of the union a circle of white stars corresponding in number with the States in the Confederacy. 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. General Johnston suggested making it square to conserve material. The flags were known as the "Stars and Bars", used from 1861 to 1863; the "Stainless Banner", used from 1863 to 1865; and the "Blood-Stained Banner", used in 1865 shortly before the Confederacy's dissolution. The pattern and colors of this flag did not distinguish it sharply fom the Stars and Stripes of the Union. 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. Note, this is not to be confused with the Confederate Battle Flag. And both South Carolina and Alabama began flying it over their capitols. [59][60], Drawing in the United Confederate Veterans 1895 Sponsor souvenir album. The distance between the stars decreased as the number of states increased, reaching thirteen when the secessionist factions of Kentucky and Missouri joined in late 1861. Consequently, considerable . Stars and Bars (final version) Newsome was arrested, but state officials voted to remove the flag from the building the following month. Three horizontal stripes of equal height, alternating red and white, with a blue square two-thirds the height of the flag as the canton. PD. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? This design has become commonly regarded as a symbol of racism and white supremacy or white nationalism, especially in the Southern United States. When rebels fired on Fort Sumter in April 1861, they flew a blue banner with a single white star called the Bonnie Blue Flag. The Confederacy adopted a total of three national flags before its collapse in 1865. Although Tennessee did not join the Confederacy until the middle of 1861, four of its unit flags bore seven stars and another three had eight (all seven stars surrounding a central star). Confederate Memorial Hall is a museum located in New Orleans, Louisiana containing historical artifacts related to the Confederate States of America and the American Civil War. 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]. 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 . Scientists just confirmed a 30-foot void first detected inside the monument years ago. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Taking this into account, Miles changed his flag, removing the palmetto and crescent, and substituting a heraldic saltire ("X") for the upright cross. When rebels fired on Fort Sumter in April 1861, theyflew a blue banner with a single white star called the Bonnie Blue Flag. ), led to the assumption that it was, as it has been termed, "the soldier's flag" or "the Confederate battle flag. 1st National Confederate Flag for Car - Stars and Bars Double Sided Car Flag $ 24.95 First National Confederate Flag - 7 Star Stars and Bars Cotton 3 x 5 ft. $ 59.95 Confederate 1st National 13 Stars & Bars - License Plate $ 19.95 First National 11 Stars Flag Nylon Embroidered 3 x 5 ft. $ 49.95 That changed in 1948 with the Dixiecrats, or States Rights Democratic Party, a racist, pro-segregation splinterparty formed by Southern Democrats. 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. Contributions can be made to the Memorial Hall Foundation by sending a check, using a credit card or by contributing through the website. A mans world? STARS AND BARS Images of 12 Star versions of the first Confederate national flag. But though the flag had been adopted by advocates of segregation and white supremacy, many denied that aspect of its meaning and instead insisted it stood for the Southern ideals espoused by the Lost Cause. Today, alongside the nations growing acknowledgment of systemic racism and widespread Black Lives Matterprotests, the Confederate flag predictably makes appearances at white supremacist gatherings. But as secession got underway, the Confederate States of America adopted a flag that riffed off the Unions stars and stripes. ), and elements of the design by related similar female descendants organizations of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, (U.D.C. The identification stuck, and the flags use proliferated. Judging from the $12.00 price that Ruskell later received for a bunting Confederate 1st national that was 6 feet long on the fly, it is thought that the 43 flags that he delivered in July and August were 4 feet on their hoist by 6 feet on their fly with eleven white, 5-pointed stars arranged in a circle or ellipse. Since it is known that Hayden & Whilden from Charleston provided eleven star unit flags for the Confederate Quartermasters Department, the number of eleven star flags made in this region undoubtedly was even larger. For use of Confederate symbols in modern society and popular culture, see, Flags of the Confederate States of America. 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. Their cantons bore eleven white, 5-pointed stars arranged in a circle. All rights reserved. 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 flag was issued in the fall of 1861. In the early summer of 1861, the army was renamed the Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) commanded by Gen. R.E. "Southern Confederacy" (Atlanta, Georgia), 5 Feb 1865, pg 2. The version produced even today for the Stars and Bars, or First National Confederate, features the original seven star pattern in the blue canton. Such flags had been part of United States Army Regulations since 1835. The Stars and Bars, which the Confederate Congress had adopted in March 1861 because it resembled the once-beloved Stars and Stripes, proved impractical and even dangerous on the battlefield because of that resemblance. Johnston also specified the various sizes to be used by different types of military units. In a Feb. 10 memo to its public affairs offices, the Defense Department said that having service members carry the U.S. flag horizontally or land it on the ground after a parachute jump is no . "Neither Arkansas nor Missouri enacted legislation to adopt an official State flag" (Cannon 2005, p. 48). During the Civil War, some of the units from Louisiana and Texas adopted the Bonnie Blue flag as their official banner of the Confederacy. the Confederate States of America began to use its first flag, the Stars and Bars, on March 5, 1861. As many as eight more stars were later added to represent states admitted to or claimed by the Confederacy. [14][15] The original version of the flag featured a circle of seven white stars in the navy-blue canton, representing the seven states of the South that originally composed the Confederacy: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Realizing that they quickly needed a national banner to represent their sovereignty, the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States set up the Committee on Flag and Seal. It is the most distinctive and popular emblem associated with the Confederacy. Second national flag (May 1, 1863 March 4, 1865), 2:1 ratio, Second national flag (May 1, 1863 March 4, 1865), also used as the Confederate navy's ensign, 3:2 ratio, A 12-star variant of the Stainless Banner produced in, Variant captured following the Battle of Painesville, 1865, Third national flag (after March 4, 1865), Third national flag as commonly manufactured, with a square canton, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 18:54. This would serve to show the world the South was truly sovereign. Choose from a wide range of high quality 4K or HD videos and footage. As a result, Confederate military presentation flags made throughout the South in 1861 and 1862 demonstrate no common proportions or sizes. The Dixiecrat-era fad flag stoked its sale on everything from T-shirts to mugs and bumper stickers. The Flag Act of 1865, passed by the Confederate congress near the very end of the War, describes the flag in the following language: The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, That the flag of the Confederate States shall be as follows: The width two-thirds of its length, with the union (now used as the battle flag) to be in width three-fifths of the width of the flag, and so proportioned as to leave the length of the field on the side of the union twice the width of the field below it; to have the ground red and a broad blue saltire thereon, bordered with white and emblazoned with mullets or five pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States; the field to be white, except the outer half from the union to be a red bar extending the width of the flag. In 1961, South Carolina began to fly the Confederate flag over its state house. These skeletons may have the answer, Scientists are making advancements in birth controlfor men, Blood cleaning? 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. 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. Quick View. On 4 March 1861 the Confederate States of America adopted its first national flag, the "Stars and Bars", and raised it over the dome of the temporary capitol in Montgomery, Alabama.. They resemble too closely the dishonored 'Flag of Yankee Doodle' we imagine that the 'Battle Flag' will become the Southern Flag by popular acclaim." In 2000, the NAACP began a 15-year-long economicboycott of South Carolina because of its use of the flag. The Audience went wild, and the song was an instant success. Though it hassome Black supporters, it remains shorthand for a defiant South and all that implies. The 1879 flag was introduced by Georgia state senator Herman H. Perry and was adopted to memorialize Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. The results were mixed. [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. [53] The "rebel flag" is considered by some to be a highly divisive and polarizing symbol in the United States.