Battle Flag of the Confederacy
The first major battle of the war, Bull Run or First Manassas,
brought to light problems in using the First National Flag on the field of
combat. For example, then-brigade commander Jubal Early was advised at one point
during the battle that his regiments were firing on friends. Although he thought
it was not so, he halted his men and rode out to where he could see a regiment
drawn in battle line several hundred yards away. "The dress of the volunteers on
both sides at that time was very similar," he later wrote, "and the flag of the
regiment I saw was drooping around the staff, so that I could not see whether it
was the United States or Confederate flag." It was not until the regiment in
question fell back that he "saw the United States flag unfurled and discovered
the mistake". In the meantime, precious time had been lost.
After this problem became evident the commander of the army in northern
Virginia, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, ordered that his regiments carry their state
flags. Only Virginia regiments were able to obtain enough state flags for this
purpose. Moreover, some state flags were too similar to colors carried by Union
forces. The dark blue field of the Virginia state flag, for example, when lying
limp, would look exactly like that of the US Army infantry regimental color,
which also featured a dark blue field.
To solve this problem, Congressman William Porcher Miles suggested to
Gen. Beauregard that the army adopt as a battle flag the pattern which he had
designed for the First National Flag--a pattern which Congress had rejected
twice. On 27 August 1861 Miles sent Beauregard a drawing of his suggested flag,
adding that his design called for, "...the ground Red, the Cross Blue (edged
with white), Stars, White. This was my favorite. The three colors of Red, White,
and Blue were preserved in it. It avoided the religious objection about the
cross ...it being the "Saltire" of Heraldry and significant of strength and
progress ... The Stars ought always to be White or Argent because they are then
blazoned "Proper" (or natural color). Stars to show better on an Azure field
than any other. Blue Stars on a White field would not be handsome or
appropriate. The "White edge" (as I term it) to the Blue is partly a necessity
to prevent what is called "false blazonry"...It would not do to put a blue cross
therefore on a red field ...The introduction of the white between the Blue and
Red adds also much to the brilliancy of the colors and brings them out in strong
relief"
Beauregard liked the design, writing to Miles on 4 September 1861: "I
regret to hear of the failure about the change of flag- but what can now be done
is, to authorize commanding generals in the field to furnish their troops with a
"field, or battle flag," which shall be according to your design, leaving out,
however, the white border, or rim separating the blue from the red. I would have
it simply a red ground with two blue bars crossing each other diagonally, on
which shall be the white stars; a white or golden fringe might go all around the
sides of the flag."
Beauregard took the idea to Johnston, who also liked the basic design but
changed its shape to square on the recommendation of the army's future
quartermaster, Who said that a square flag would save cloth. He also restored
the white fimbration. Examples of the new battle flag were made in September
1861 by three Richmond belles, Hettie, Jennie, and Constance Cary. According to
Constance, "They were jaunty squares of scarlet crossed with dark blue edged
with white, the cross bearing stars to indicate the number of the seceded
States. We set our best stitches upon them, edged them with golden fringes, and,
when they were finished, dispatched one to Johnston, another to Beauregard, and
the third to Earl Van Dorn, then commanding infantry at Manassas. The banners
were received with all possible enthusiasm; were toasted, feted, and cheered
abundantly."
The original flag sent to Van Dorn survives in the collection of the
Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia. It has a red field with a blue
St. Andrew's cross with white fimbration and hoist edge, with three white ties
to hold it to the staff. Three gold stars are set on each arm of the cross,
clustered close to the center; there is no star where the arms of the cross
meet. It has 3-inch-long yellow fringing, and is actually 31 inches by 30 inches
in size rather than perfectly square. The name 'Constance' has been embroidered
on the lower arm of the cross near the hoist.
Three sizes were established for the battle flags made to this design and
finally issued throughout the Army of Northern Virginia. Infantry versions were
to be 48 inches on each side; artillery versions, 36 inches square; and cavalry
versions, 30 inches square.
The first pattern Army of Northern Virginia battle flags were made as the
samples were, sewn of dress silk by Richmond ladies under contract. Their blue
crosses were eight inches wide, edged with 3/4 inch-wide white silk. The 12
white stars were 4 inches in diameter, set 8 inches apart from the center of the
cross. All the edges but the hoist were bound in yellow silk; the hoist had a
blue silk sleeve. Finally, the fields tended to be pinkish rather than scarlet.
Not all of these flags were made by official contractors from the start.
The 4th Texas Infantry, for example, received in November 1861 a variant of this
flag which was made by Miss Lula Wigfall, daughter of one of Texas' senators.
This 47-inch square silk flag was very similar to the first pattern except that
it featured a single star at the point where the arms of the cross met which was
larger than the other stars-symbolic of the Lone Star of Texas. The other stars
were placed rather towards the outer part of the arms of the cross, rather than
being clustered towards the center as on the first silk pattern flags. It was
edged in yellow, with the edge on the hoist side folded around to make a sleeve
for the staff. This battle-worn flag was retired to Texas for storage on 7
October 1862.
By that time, most of these colors had been worn out by much use in the
field. However, in early 1862 the Richmond Clothing Depot had acquired
sufficient stocks of bunting, both by purchase from England and by the capture
of the US Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia. The Depot began manufacturing and
issuing its own machine-sewn First Bunting Pattern, Army of Northern Virginia
battle flags. These were very similar to the First Silk Pattern flags but made
of bunting, with true scarlet fields. Instead of yellow silk edging they were
made with orange flannel 1 inches wide; the orange rapidly became a somewhat
dirty tan in color after some time in the field. The thirteenth star was added
at the center of the cross, and the cotton stars were smaller, only 3 inches in
diameter. They were set 6 inches apart from the center of the cross. The
fimbration was made of inch wide cotton. The staff side was made with a
2-inch-wide white canvas or linen heading with three whipped eyelets for ties.
These flags, often lacking any sort of designation such as battle honors
or unit designation, quickly became the standard Army of Northern Virginia
battle flag first issued to Longstreet's Right Wing in May 1862. One of these
unmarked flags, for example, was carried by the 3rd Georgia Infantry throughout
the war.
In the spring of 1862 the Depot slightly changed the colors it had been
issuing. The blue cross was now made only 5 inches wide. The stars were also
reduced in size, to 3 3/4 inches in diameter. The so called Third Bunting
Pattern flag appeared in late 1862, when the orange borders were replaced with
white 2-inch-wide bunting.
Source: "Flags of the American Civil War, 1: Confederate" By Philip Katcher &
Rick Scollins
