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 addition, many military units had their own regimental flags they would carry into battle. / Forwarded to Montgomery, Ala. Feb 12, 1861, / Adopted by the Provisional Congress March 4, 1861". While major flag manufacturers have ceased production of US historical flags of the confederacy, they carry slave owning state flags of the Union such as New Jersey. For modern uses, see, The second national flag of the Confederate States of America. "[6] In explaining the white background, 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. During the American Civil War (1861–65), the Confederate States of America began to use its first flag, the Stars and Bars, on March 5, 1861.
In reality, the flag we most associate with the Confederacy was strictly a battle flag—and not the only battle flag used. Rogers lobbied successfully to have this alteration introduced in the Confederate Senate. The state flag of Mississippi, in use from 1894 to 2020, was the last U.S. state flag to feature the Confederate army's Battle Flag, which was located on the flag's canton, or upper left corner. General Johnston suggested making it square to conserve material. [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." Although the officially specified proportions were 1:2, many of the flags that actually ended up being produced used a 1.5:1 aspect ratio. Due to the flag's resemblance to one of truce, some Confederate soldiers cut off the white portion of the flag, leaving only the canton.[31]. Miles described his rejected national flag design to Beauregard. This flag, made of Merino, was raised by Letitia Tyler over the Alabama state capitol. ), led to the assumption that it was, as it has been termed, "the soldier's flag" or "the Confederate battle flag". "Stonewall" Jackson's casket. and the later Sons of Confederate Veterans, (S.C.V. The state flag of Mississippi integrated the Battle Flag as its canton, while the flag of Georgia, in its various permutations, included elements of both the Battle Flag and the Stars and Bars. Most famously, the "Bonnie Blue Flag" was used as an unofficial flag during the early months of 1861. If you like it, buy it! Many Confederates disliked the Stars and Bars, seeing it as symbolic of a centralized federal power the Confederate states claimed to be seceding from. The third national flag of the Confederate States of America.
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flag. [34] In addition, Confederate regiments carried many other flags, which added to the possibility of confusion. The Dealer 6. Smith, Louisburg", University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "The Declarations of Causes of Seceding States", "Letter of Beauregard to Villere, April 24, 1863", "Birthplace of the Confederate Battle Flag", 37 New Historical Markers for Virginia's Roadways, "2008 Virginia Marker Dedication: Birthplace of the Confederate Battle Flag", North & South – The Official Magazine of the Civil War Society, "Why the Confederate Flag Made a 20th Century Comeback", "Confederate flag removed: A history of the divisive symbol", "44 Percent of Americans Say Confederate Statues Should Remain Standing, Poll Shows", "Trump keeps fighting a Confederate flag battle many supporters have conceded", "Majority Of Southerners Now View The Confederate Flag As A Racist Symbol, Poll Finds", "What the Confederate flag means in America today", Symbols of Battle: Civil War Flags at Google Cultural Institute, Active autonomist and secessionist movements, Gay pride and Lesbian Bisexual Transgender flags, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flags_of_the_Confederate_States_of_America&oldid=986002164, Flags of the Confederate States of America, Articles with incomplete citations from July 2020, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. G128 - American USA US Flag 3x5 ft Deluxe Embroidered Stars Sewn Stripes Brass Grommets Durable Indoor Outdoor Use, Valley Forge US4PN American Flag, 4'x6', Red,White,Blue, American Flag - US Flag 3x5 - Made in USA - Home, Garden, Indoor, Outdoor - American Made Printed Flag for True Patriots, Jetlifee 4x6 FT American USA US Flag 210D, US Flag with Sewn Stripes, Embroidered Stars and Brass Grommet, Longest Lasting and UV Protected for Outdoor/Indoor USA Flags 4x6 Foot, COOFANDY Men's Casual American Flag Button Down Shirts Slim Fit Long Sleeve Shirt, G128 - Thin Red Line Embroidered U.S. American Flag 2X3 FT Brass Grommets Honoring Fire Fighters EMTs Black White Red US Flag, Annin Flagmakers Model 2710 American Flag Tough-Tex The Strongest, Longest Lasting, 3x5 ft, 100% Made in USA with Sewn Stripes, Embroidered Stars and Brass Grommets, MWS 12x18 Embroidered Sewn Texas Cotton Flag 2-Ply 12"X18" Boat Bike Car Flag, G128 American Flag 5x8 ft USA US Flag Embroidered Stars Sewn Stripes Brass Grommets Durable Indoor Outdoor Use, USA Flag Co. 3x5 Polyester US Flag - Embroidered Stars and Sewn Stripes withstands Harsh Wind, Sun, Dirt, and Moisture Areas. Premium US Flag. This reflected the Confederacy's claims of having admitted Kentucky and Missouri into the Confederacy. Several are designed specifically for indoor or outdoor use. In addition, some states used their own flags in combat. Although the officially designated design specified a rectangular canton, many of the flags that ended up being produced utilized a square-shaped canton. 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. Live to Die 8. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. It should also be pointed out that there was no uniform Southern Cross flag—throughout the South slightly different versions of the original design were adopted. 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]. [32][33] As a result of this first usage, the flag received the alternate nickname of the "Jackson Flag". Kentucky), and even states in the Union (such as New York). For use of Confederate symbols in modern society and popular culture, see, First flag: the "Stars and Bars" (1861–1863), Second flag: the "Stainless Banner" (1863–1865), Third flag: the "Blood-Stained Banner" (1865). 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 CSS Shenandoah in Liverpool, England, on November 7, 1865. The winner of the competition was Nicola Marschall's "Stars and Bars" flag (See above), the "Stars and Bars" was only selected by the Congress of the 4th of March, 1861, the day of the deadline, the first flag was produced in rush, due to the date having already been selected to host an official flag raising ceremony, W. P. Miles credited the speedy completion of the first "Stars and Bars" flag to "Fair and nimble fingers".
7. The red vertical bar was proposed by Major Arthur L. Rogers, who argued that the pure white field of the Second National flag could be mistaken as a flag of truce: when hanging limp in no wind, the flag's "Southern Cross" canton could accidentally stay hidden, so the flag could mistakenly appear all white. Premium Texas State Flag. Breakfast with the King 2. The symbol should only be judged in context. Riddle submitted his flag proposals to Stephen Foster Hale on the 21st of February, 1861. Although still used by non-extremists, especially in the South, as a symbol of Southern heritage or history, a growing number of people recognize it as a hate symbol. "Every body wants a new Confederate flag," Bagby wrote. After the war the Confederate Battle Flag would persist as the most-recognizable symbol of the Confederate States of America. As the Confederacy grew, so did the numbers of white stars seen on the ensign's dark blue canton: seven-, nine-, eleven-, and thirteen-star groupings were typical. In 1860-61, eleven southern states seceded from the United States to protect the institution of slavery, forming the Confederate States of America and precipitating the Civil War. He described the idea in a letter to his commanding General Joseph E. Johnston: I wrote to [Miles] that we should have 'two' flags — a 'peace' or parade flag, and a 'war' flag to be used only on the field of battle — but congress having adjourned no action will be taken on the matter — How would it do us to address the War Dept. After the First Battle of Bull Run, when similarity between the Stars and Bars and the Union Stars and Stripes made it difficult for troops to distinguish friend from foe, Confederate commanders petitioned for a new flag.
The flag's first official use was at the inauguration of Jefferson Davis on March 4, 1861. During the solicitation for a second Confederate national flag, many different types of designs were proposed, nearly all based on the Battle Flag, which by 1863 had become well-known and popular among those living in the Confederacy. Over time, however, the design drew criticism because the display of a broad field of white could be misinterpreted as a declaration of surrender.