The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-12
CONFEDERATE FLAGS.
The Changes That We're Made in the Ban
ner Of the Late Oonfederacy.
raleigh Observer

When ono reflects upon the recentness Of
the late great struggle, 1t indeed seems
strange that Of all the thousands Of men who
wore the gray 50 few have distinct remem-
branee or the flag under whose folds they
fought. To some extent this lack OF present
accurate knowledge OF the Confederate flags,
for there were three, may be explained by
reason OF the extensive uso OF State flags,
ties to the ensign OF the Confedsracy
When the Confederate Provisional Congress
met at Montgomery, Ala, early IN 1861, the
necessity for the use of a flag for the new
confederation was made evident. Several de-
signs were submitted, from which were
chosen the following. which was the first iiag
"A field OF three horizontal bars or stripes, the
upper red, the centre white. the lower red !,
in the lett upper corner blue union, with q
star for each of the seeded States. Within
two hours after the adoption Of this flag 1t
was flying over the Capitol at Montgomery.
1t was never displaced by Congress until the
spring Of 1868, though, owing to lt5 resem-
blance to the United States flag, many sug-
gestions for u change were made.
This resemblance OF the two tagS was
found at the battle Of Bull Run July Is, 1861,
To bs 20 great that many persons in both
armies believed that each side had used rs 4
Stratagem the COlOrS OF its opponent. liz was
Immediately determined to adopt battle flag
Tor the Confederate forces, and in September
1861. Generals Joe johnson and Beauregard
cnose the weI-known 'battle flag of the army
Of the Potomac fas It was at first called
which became SO dear to Southern hearts
The field Of this flag WAS crimson, its bare
were blue, and running diaRonally across
from one corner to the other, formed tho Greel,
cross. The stars on the bars were white,
equal in number TO the States Of the Confsder-
aey. The blue bars were separated from the
red held BY d narrow white fillet The size OF
this famous flag was, for infantry, 4S4 feet
1t has the merits OF being small and light
and very distinct Mt great distances. 1t was
not, however, though In use constantly,
adopted by the government untfl 1t became
the union Of the second and third flags, and
the 'stars and bars continued to be flown by
vessels and forts.
ID May, 1863, the Confederate Congress- In
session at Richmond, adopted the second flag,
which was Of the following design: The field
Of white, In left upper corner o union OF red
across this diagonal stripes Of blue, with
white stars five pointed, thereon, equal In
number TO the Contederated States. 1t Will be
seen that the banner thus chosen was the bat
tie flag used as union, on white ground.
An attempt was made by the State to place
q blue strip In the centre Of the. white field,
horizontally, but this failed and the beauti-
full banner described was prescribed as the
Confederate flag The size OF this ensign was
made 4x6 feet, but was afterwards modified,
and reduced to the dimensions OF the battle
flag, Aka feet 1t was the Intention of Congress
by the adoption Of this flag to establish as the
national ensign OF the Confederacy pure
white flag having for its union the Southern
cross as the battle flag OF tho army.
This, the second national flag of the South,
at distance bore close resemblance TO the
English white ensign, and was objected to as
resembling flag Of truce. These objections
proved 50 valid that the Confederate Congress
ia February, 1865, added broad strip 81 red
to the end Of the flag: This was the third and
last Of the flags. The official description Of
this, the last banner Of the Confederacy, is as
follows "Ile width two-thirds Of it's length;
with the Union, now used as the battle flag,
to be In width three-tifths Of the width Of the
flag, and SO proportional as to leave the
length Of the field on the side Of the union
twice the width below 1t; the union to have a
ground OF red, with blue bars crossed diagon-
ally thereon; in these bars tlve-pointed stars,
corresponding in number to the Confederate
States. The field Of the flag to be white, ex-
cept the outer half from the union, which
shall be red bar extending the width Of the
flag"