Flags of the Confederate States of America
The following are the flags used by the short-lived Confederate States of America. Though they have largely ceased to be used since the end of the civil war, some Southern Americans continue to use the flags as a symbol of their history. The Confederate battle flag (see below) is still flown at the South Carolina legislature. The design of the Confederate flags has also been incorporated into the state flags of Arkansas, Flag of Mississippi, and Georgia.
The Bonnie Blue Flag
Originating in Florida in the early 1800s, the Bonnie Blue Flag was the unofficial first flag of the Confederate States of America, the South united under one star. This flag is also the inspiration for the Lone Star flag of Texas and the red star in the Bear Flag of California.
The First National Flag, "The Stars and Bars"
This flag was flown from 4 March 1861 to May 1863 as the first official flag of the seven states that seceded from the Union. Later six more states joined them. It caused confusion on the battlefield because it was so similar to the Stars and Stripes of the Union forces.
The Second National Flag, "The Stainless Banner"
This was the second official flag of the Confederacy, brought into service on 1 May 1863. To avoid confusion with the Union's Stars and Stripes, the new Battle Flag was placed in the first quarter (see below). When the battlefield was windless, it was mistaken for a flag of surrender because all that could be seen was the field of white.
In the South, the nickname "Stainless" was held to refer to the unspotted virtue and honor of Southerners and their fight for independence from the tyranny and aggression of northern states.
The Third National Flag
This is the third official flag, adopted 4 March 1865, very shortly before the fall of the Confederacy. The red vertical stripe was added to dispel confusion with the flag of surrender.
The Battle Flag
The battle flag of the Confederacy is square, usually 3×3 feet. It was used in battle from May 1863 to the fall of the Confederacy. The blue color on the Southern Cross in the battle flag was navy blue, as opposed to the much lighter blue of the Naval Jack. The Stars and Bars were too easily confused in the smoke of battle with the Stars and Stripes, resulting in very real military mistakes. To remedy this, General Beaugregard of the Army of Virginia and others sought a better design and Beauregard was the first to adopt the flag from the design of P.T. Miles (see below). Miles' rectangular design was sized down to a square to aid folding and carrying in battle.
This flag proved so popular, that it became basis for the Second National flag of the Confederacy (see above). Some prefer the square proportions of this flag over Mile's original rectangle as more sonorous and more distinct — and therefore a better symbol of the South.
The Naval Jack, "The Southern Cross"
The Confederate Navy Jack is rectangular, usually about 5×3 feet. The blue color in the saltire (the diagonal cross) is much lighter than in the Battle Flag, and it was flown only on Confederate ships from 1863 to 1865. This flag is what is typically recognized as the Confederate flag, but this is not strictly accurate.
The design was originally made by South Carolina Congressman William Porcher Miles to be the first national flag, but it was rejected by the Confederate government for looking too much like crossed suspenders. It was used by a few army units, including the Army of Tennessee as their battle flag. Today, it is the most universally recognized symbol of the South, where it is commonly called the rebel or Dixie flag.
Sometimes, the saltire is identified as "St. Andrew's Cross." But this is incorrect; Mile's proposals never mention this. "St. Andrew's cross" refers to the national flag of Scotland, a white saltire over a blue field and based on a Medieval legend that St. Andrew was martyred on a diagonal cross which made it to the shores of Scotland. This was considered miraculous; St. Andrew is Scotland's patron saint. There is no connection with legends of St. Andrew and the South. In addition, most Southerners at the time of the War identified their heritage as Anglo-Saxon and not as Celtic.
After the War
For some time in the Reconstruction period, public display of Confederate flags was illegal in the states of the US South occupied by Federal troops.
Controversy
What is usually called "The Confederate Flag" or "The Confederate Battle Flag" (actually the Navy Jack as explained above) remains a symbol into the 21st century. The display of the flag is controversial, generally because of disagreement over exactly what it symbolizes. To many in the US South it is simply a symbol of regional pride. Others see it as a symbol of the instituion of slavery which the Confederate government defended, or of the Jim Crow laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern States for decades later.
In 1955, the Georgia state flag was redesigned to incorporate the Confederate Battle Flag. This caused much controversy, so in January, 2001, a new design was adopted intending to recognize the Confederate Battle Flag's historical significance while minimizing its prominence. In 2003, because of the continued controversy, the flag was redesigned yet again, without any image of the Confederate Battle Flag.
External Links
- 1860's Harper's Weekly Images Containing Confederate Flag