Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-08
Total.


The door leading to the back room, in which
the rebel flags are stored, is shaded by two flags
fastened at the top and parted below, and Sc
cured in the manner of window curtains. No
partallty has been shown in the arrangement of
the rooms. The best flags had been put for
ward in either case, but the rebels were COM
PEELED to use such materials as they could OBJ
tain, and the varieties of material and STYLES of
construction are sufficient to amuse and astonish
the visitor. Prominent in this room is the first
flag adopted by the rebels. There ARE two speci-
mems, and they are festooned about the door.
They are of coarse silk material, badly faded,
and somewhat injured by wear and tear. They
are about twelve feet long, by four wide There
are three stripes, red, white and red with a
blue moon, and thirteen white stars. They are
inscribed, according to regulations, on one side,
we collect our own revenue" and on the
other, We choose our own institutions"
This flag did not last long. The authorities
became dissatisfied with it, and confederate
flag No. was adopted. 1t was composed of
white field, red union, with an X of blue, on
which appeared thirteen stars. This was also
short lived. 1t was discovered that the flag
could not be readily distinguished at dis.
lance, the white field being almost impossible
to distinguish from the atmosphere at n short
distance. So flag No. 8 was adopted, which
differed from No. only in having stripe of
red across the end of the field. Besides these,
which we're used as regimental or brigade flags,
there were garrison flags, aud Others intended
for special purposes.
The garrison flag was very large, its length
being not much more than its width. take
the Fort Fisher flag as a model. 1t has no
union. The flag is of red bunting, bound with
white, with blue cross reaching TO the four
corners. The cross is also bound with white,
and is studded with thirteen white stars.
during the war our troops, particularly the
navy, captured many flags, which were used as
aecoyS or decepts. Among these are several
lIn1nn
fore of blockade-runners Whether they be-
lOnged to English ships, or were used by the
rebels without leave or license, the record does
not state. There are flags in this room. of the
regular United States pattern, which were cap
tured from the rebels, who used them TO decoy
our troops. This was proven again and again,
and for time the system Of using United States
flags was regularly practiced by the enemy
During the war l heard much of the black
flag; it was alleged that the rebels had hoisted
it on several occasions, and the north was
stirred into fury about it. | asked Mr.. Brand
if he had any of the black flags which the enc
my raised. He said he had the celebrated black
flag, the one that raised all the bad blood of the
north, and he took me to the corner of the
room. Here, sure enough, was black flag. It
was composed of black cambria or Shiny"
muslin, about four feet long by three WIDE. II
was spread out and tackled to the wall. This,
then, was that awful flag which had been raised
by the rebels. A more infamous humbup was
never invented. There have been wise boards
set upon this flag; there have been opinions So
lcited from high authority regarding it; it has
been looked at outside and inside to determine
It's character and to gather facts in regard to its
use. sherman solved the problem at last The
aig, as have said, is of black cambria. The
first sun or the first rain would wash il out, and
make it gray. 1t has white star in the centre
on which is painted winchester" This aag
which gave the north such fever, was nothing
more nor less than a signal fagl Black was
chosen as the color TO be seen at the greatest
distance, and white star against a black
ground would be very conspicuous. The rebel
signal corps was very serviceable to them at
Winchester, and hence the inscription. The
record, in this case, states that the flag was cap.
tured within the rebel lines, near South Noun
tain, Nd, Aug. /, 1864, by detective.
In prominent place among the rebel flags is
thu one which was raised first at Charleston,
South Carolina, early in 1861. 1t was the first
secession flag raised by the rebels, and it was
used generally in the Notifications about
Charleston and Forts Sumter and Moultrie.
The record shows that this was the first flag