Flags of the Confederate States of America

Battle flag <span class="anchor" id="Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia"></span>

thumb|Battle flag of the ConfederateStates

thumb|right|Three versions of the flag of the ConfederateStates ofAmerica and the Confederate BattleFlag are shown on this printed poster from1896. The "Stars and Bars" can be seen in the upperleft. Standing at the center are [[Stonewall Jackson, , and , surrounded by bust portraits of Jefferson Davis, Alexander Stephens, and various Confederate army officers, such as James Longstreet and .]]

thumb|right|200px|Drawing in the [[United Confederate Veterans 1895 Sponsor souvenir album]]

thumb|right|[[Cherokee in the American Civil War|Cherokee Confederates reunion in NewOrleans, 1903]]

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. Regiments carried flags to help commanders observe and assess battles in the warfare of the era. At a distance, the two nationalflags were hard to tell apart. Also, Confederate regiments carried many other flags, which added to the possibility of confusion.

After the battle, General P. G. T. Beauregard wrote that he was "resolved then to have [ourflag] changed if possible, or to adopt for my command a 'Battleflag', which would be Entirely different from any State or Federalflag". and, on the redfield, palmetto and crescent symbols. Miles received various feedback on this design, including a critique from Charles Moise, a "Southerner of Jewish persuasion." Moise liked the design but asked that "...the symbol of a particular religion not be made the symbol of the nation." Taking this into account, Miles changed his flag, removing the palmetto and crescent, and substituting a heraldic saltire('X') for the upright cross. The number of stars was changed several times as well. He described these changes and his reasons for making them in early1861. 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." He also argued that the diagonal cross was "more Heraldric than Ecclesiastical, it being the 'saltire' of Heraldry, and significant of strength and progress."

According to Coski, the Saint Andrew's Cross (also used on the flagof Scotland as a white saltire on a bluefield) had no special place in Southern iconography at the time. If Miles had not been eager to conciliate the SouthernJews, his flag would have used the traditional upright "SaintGeorge's Cross" (as used on the flagof England, a redcross on a white field). JamesB. Walton submitted a battleflag design essentially identical to Miles' except with an upright SaintGeorge's Cross, but Beauregard chose the diagonal cross design.

Miles' flag and all the flag designs up to that point were rectangular ("oblong") in shape. General Johnston suggested making it square to conserve material. Johnston also specified the various sizes to be used by different types of military units. Generals Beauregard and Johnston and Quartermaster‐General Cabell approved the Confederate BattleFlag's design at the Ratcliffehome, which served briefly as Beauregard's headquarters, near Fairfax CourtHouse in September1861. The 12thstar represented Missouri. President JeffersonDavis arrived by train at FairfaxStation soon after and was shown the design for the new battleflag at the RatcliffeHouse. and her sister, along with her cousin, ConstanceCary Harrison, made prototypes. One such flag resides in the collection of Richmond's Museumof theConfederacy and the other is in the Confederate MemorialHall Museum in .

On November 28, 1861, Confederate soldiers in General 's newly reorganized Armyof NorthernVirginia received the new battleflags in ceremonies at Centreville and Manassas, Virginia, and carried them throughout the CivilWar. Beauregard gave a speech encouraging the soldiers to treat the new flag with honor and that it must never be surrendered. Many soldiers wrote home about the ceremony and the impression the flag had upon them, the "fighting colors" boosting morale after the confusion at FirstManassas. From then on, the battleflag grew in its identification with the Confederacy and theSouth in general. The flag's stars represented the number of states in the Confederacy. The distance between the stars decreased as the number of states increased, reaching thirteen when the secessionist factions of Kentucky and Missouri joined in late1861.

The Army of Northern Virginia battle flag assumed a prominent place when it was adopted as the copyrighted emblem of the United Confederate Veterans. Its continued use by the SouthernArmy's veteran's groups, the United Confederate Veterans(U.C.V.) and the later Sonsof Confederate Veterans(S.C.V.), and elements of the design by related similar female descendants organizations of the (U.D.C.), led to the assumption that it was, as it has been termed, "the soldier's flag" or "the Confederate battleflag."

The square "battle flag" is also properly known as "the flag of the Armyof NorthernVirginia". It was sometimes called "Beauregard'sflag" or "the Virginia battleflag". A marker declaring Fairfax, Virginia, as the birthplace of the Confederate battleflag was dedicated on April12, 2008, near the intersection of Main and OakStreets, in Fairfax, Virginia.

To boost the morale of the Army of Tennessee, GeneralJohnston introduced a new battleflag for the entire army. This flag bore a basic design similar to the one he had contributed to creating in Virginia in1861 and had been commissioned in Mobile while he was in command in Mississippi in1863. These flags for infantry and cavalry were to measure . The white edgingcross was about wide and was often filled with battle honors. The stars were from , with a cross. Flags for artillery were overall.

Naval flags

The fledgling Confederate States Navy () adopted and used several types of flags, banners and pennants aboard all CSNships: jacks, battleensigns and smallboat ensigns, as well as commissioning pennants, designatingflags and signalflags.

The first Confederate Navy jacks, in use from 1861 to1863, consisted of a circle of seven to fifteen white stars against a field of "mediumblue." It was flown forward aboard all Confederate warships while they were anchored in port. One jack still exists today (found aboard the captured ironclad CSSAtlanta) that is actually darkblue. The first ConfederateNavy jack closely resembles the navyjack of the UnitedStates.

The second Confederate Navy Jack was a rectangular cousin of the ConfederateArmy's battleflag and was in use from1863 until1865. It existed in a variety of dimensions and sizes, despite the 's detailed naval regulations.There is a claim that the bluecolor of the diagonal saltire's "" was much lighter than the battleflag's darkblue.

Flag variants

In addition to the Confederacy's national flags, a wide variety of flags and banners were flown by Southerners during the CivilWar. Most famously, the was used as an unofficialflag during the earlymonths of1861. It was flying above the Confederate batteries that first opened fire on in Charleston harbor, beginning the CivilWar. The "Van Dorn flag" was carried by several Confederate regiments from Arkansas and Missouri fighting in the Trans-Mississippi Theater| and Westerntheaters ofwar and were, or had been, a part of the Army of the West in 1862. Many military units also carried their own regimentalflags into battle. Though there are only three officialflags with the correct number of stars.

Controversy

thumb|The second naval jack is the most common modern variation that is often used and mistaken to be the official Confederateflag.

Though never having historically represented the Confederate States ofAmerica as a country, nor having been officially recognized as one of its nationalflags, the BattleFlag of the Armyof Tennessee and its variants are now flagtypes commonly referred to as the "Confederateflag". It is also known as the "rebelflag", "Dixieflag" and "". It is sometimes incorrectly called the "Stars and Bars", the name of the first national Confederateflag.

The "rebel flag" is considered by some to be a divisive and polarizing symbol in the UnitedStates, while its supporters maintain that it is a symbol of regional cultural pride.

A YouGov poll in 2020 of more than 34,000 Americans reported that 41% viewed the flag as representing racism, and 34% viewed it as symbolizing Southern heritage. A July2021 Politico–Morning Consultpoll of 1,996 registered voters reported that 47% viewed it as a symbol of Southern pride while 36% viewed it as a symbol of racism. In a 2017scientific article about the psychology of the Confederateflag's supporters, the authors found the primary reasons for the flag's support to be Southern regional patriotism, political conservatism, or White American racial biases against African-Americans. However, the authors indicated that the majority of the flag's supporters did not tend towards racial biases as the reason for their support.

Gallery

Arkansas

File:22nd-ark-inf-flag.jpg|Flag of the 22nd Arkansas Infantry Regiment (Possibly )

</gallery>

Alabama

File:Flag of Hilliard's Legion.png|Flag of Hilliard's Legion

File:1st Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 1st Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:1st Alabama Cavalry flag.jpg|Flag of the 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment

File:PrattvilleDragoonFlag.jpg|Recreated flag of the Prattville Dragoons

File:6th Alabama Cavalry flag.jpg|Flag of the 6th Alabama Cavalry Regiment

File:Florence Guards (Company K, 7th Alabama Infantry) flag.png|Flag of the Florence Guards (CompanyK, 7th Alabama Infantry Regiment)

File:8th Alabama Infantry Flag.jpg|Flag of the 8th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:10th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 10th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:11th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 11th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:13th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 13th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:14th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 14th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:15th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:18th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:18th Alabama Infantry flag (Hardee pattern).jpg|Flag of the 18th Alabama Infantry Regiment (Hardee Version)

File:20th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 20th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:22nd Alabama Infantry flag (Polk's and Bragg's Corps pattern).jpg|Flag of the 22nd Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:23rd Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 23rd Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:24th Alabama Infantry flag (Company E, Dickinson Guards).jpg|Flag of the 24th Alabama Infantry Regiment (Company E, Dickson Guards)

File:26th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 26th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:28th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 28th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:29th Alabama Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 26th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:36th Alabama Infantry Regiment flag, issued 1864.jpg|Flag of the 36th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:57th Alabama Infantry Flag.jpg|Flag of the 57th Alabama Infantry Regiment

File:59th Alabama Infantry Regiment Flag.jpg|Flag of the 59th Alabama Infantry Regiment

</gallery>

Florida

File:Guidon of the Company B, 2nd Florida Cavalry, C.S.A.jpg|Guidon of the company B, 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment

</gallery>

Georgia

File:Flag of Fort McAllister, GA, US.jpg|Confederate National flag of Fort McAllister

File:Fort McAllister battle flag, GA, US.jpg|Battle Flag of the Emmett Rifles

</gallery>

Louisiana

File:Confederate flag of Fort Jackson, LA, US.JPG|Confederate National Flag captured from Fort Jackson

File:Kennedy's Battalion flag.jpg|Flag of Kennedy's Battalion

</gallery>

Mississippi

File:Battle flag of the 2nd Mississippi Regiment.jpg|Flag of the 2nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment

File:History of the Ninth regiment, Connecticut volunteer infantry, "The Irish regiment," in the war of the rebellion, 1861-65. The record of a gallant command on the march, in battle and in bivouac (1903) (14759587101).jpg|Flag of the 3rd Mississippi Infantry Regiment

File:11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment battle flag army.mil-2008-09-10-145530.jpg|Flag of the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment

File:Flag of the 18th Mississippi Infantry.jpg|Flag of the 18th Mississippi Infantry Regiment

File:Battle Flag of the 37th Mississippi Infantry.jpg|Flag of the 37th Mississippi Infantry Regiment

File:Battle flag of the 48th Mississippi Regiment.jpg|Flag of the 48th Mississippi Infantry Regiment

</gallery>

Tennessee

File:Battle Flag of the 4th Tennessee Infantry.jpg|Flag of the 4th Tennessee Infantry Regiment

File:14th Tennessee Infantry Regiment Battle Flag.jpg|Flag of the 14th Tennessee Infantry Regiment

</gallery>

Texas

File:Flag of Hood's Texas Brigade.jpg|Flag of Hood's Texas Brigade

File:1stTexasFlag.jpg|Flag of the 1st Texas Infantry Regiment

File:3rd Texas Infantry flag.jpg|Flag of the 3rd Texas Infantry Regiment

File:TSLAC 306-4049 3rd Texas Cavalry Regiment Flag.jpg|Flag of the 3rd Texas Cavalry Regiment

File:Fourth Texas Infantry Flag.jpg|Flag of the 4th Texas Infantry Regiment

File:Regimental flag of the Fifth Texas Infantry, Hood's Texas Brigade.jpg|Flag of the 5th Texas Infantry Regiment

File:Flag of the 6th Texas Infantry and the 15th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) Consolidated, Granbury's Texas Brigade.jpg|Flag of the 6th Texas Infantry Regiment, 16th Texas Cavalry Regiment (dismounted) Consolidated

File:Ninth Texas Cavalry Flag (black and white).jpg|First flag of the 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment

File:Battle Flag of the 9th Texas Cavalry.jpg|Second flag of the 9th Texas Cavalry Regiment

File:10th Texas Infantry Regiment Flag.jpg|Flag of the 10th Texas Infantry Regiment

File:Flag of the 11th Texas Cavalry.jpg|Flag of the 11th Texas Cavalry Regiment

File:16th Texas Infantry Regiment, Company G flag.jpg|Flag of the 16th Texas Infantry Regiment

File:17th and 18th Texas Cavalry (dismounted), Consolidated.jpg|Flag of the 17th and 18th Texas Cavalry Regiment

File:20th Texas.jpg|Flag of the 20th Texas Infantry Regiment

File:Terry's Texas Rangers Confederate flag.jpg|Flag of Terry's Texas Rangers

</gallery>

Virginia

File:Battle Flag of the 2nd Virginia Infantry.jpg|Flag of the 2nd Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:Battle Flag of the 4th Virginia Infantry.jpg|Flag of the 4th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:Battle Flag of the 8th Virginia Cavalry, CSA.jpg|Flag of the 8th Virginia Cavalry Regiment

File:Battle Flag of the 9th Virginia Infantry.jpg|Flag of the 9th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:10th Virginia Infantry Regiment flag carried into the first battle of Manassas, July 20-21, 1861.jpg|Flag carried into battle by the 10th Virginia Infantry Regiment at the First Battle of Manassas

File:Battle Flag of the 10th Virginia Cavalry.jpg|Flag of the 10th virginia Cavalry Regiment

File:13th Virginia Infantry Flag.jpg|Flag of the 13th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:18VAflag.jpg|Flag of the 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:19th Virginia Infantry Flag.jpg|Flag of the 19th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:28th Virginia Infantry Color.jpg|Flag of the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:Flag of the 42nd Virginia Infantry.jpg|Flag of the 42nd Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:Battle Flag of the 54th Virginia Infantry, CSA.jpg|Flag of the 54th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:Battle Flag of the 56th Virginia Infantry, CSA.jpg|Flag of the 56th Virginia Infantry Regiment

File:61st Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment Battle Flag.jpg|Flag of the 61st Virginia Infantry Regiment

</gallery>

Notes

References

Sources

"Southern Confederacy" (Atlanta, Georgia), 5 Feb 1865, pg 2. Congressional, Richmond, 4 Feb: A bill to establish the flag of the Confederate States was adopted without opposition, and the flag was displayed in the Capitol today. The only change was a substitution of a red bar for one-half of the white field of the former flag, composing the flag's outer end.

External links

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Symbols of Battle: Civil War Flags at Google Cultural Institute

Battle flag <span class="anchor" id="Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia"></span>

Naval flags

Flag variants

Controversy

Gallery

Arkansas

Alabama

Florida

Georgia

Louisiana

Mississippi

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

See also

Notes

References

Sources

External links

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