The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-20
Origin Of the confederate Battle Flag.

battle flag contained in this article are
deTiyed from p Rpeech by General Beau,
reSagd Segore special meesipg ofLouisf
lap & DigJioD, Army NOtfhefn WrginiSI
AsSociation, December 6, 1873.
This banner, the witness and inspira-
of many victories, which was proudly
borneon every field from Manassas to
Appomauox, was conceived on the field
! OF fbMtle-and on the last fatal field ceased
to have place or meaning in the world.
But tho fieb hYll0 folloUedit and ties
world which watched it's proud advance
| or defiant stand, zee in it still the un-
stained banner Of the brave whose ipal|
defeat but added lustre 70 their grand
| est yicories. ~, a
II NJ. .he flag of the Con fedorscy,, but
| amply the baiiiier-the battlo flsg-AtYaa
of tho Confederate soldier. AS such il
&Op!d not share ine the condemnation
which our cause received, or suffer from
its downfall. The vtIole world can unite
| in chorus Of praise to the gsllantry Of
the men who followed where this banner
"Itai was al the battle Of Manassas. ASST about
4 o'clock Of the afternoon of tho 2lst of
July, 1861. When the fate of the Coated
eracy seemed trembling in the balance.
that General Beauregard, looking across
| the WarTenton turnpike, which passed
| throughftherEallsy be.geene the position
| Of the Confederate hndsthc elevation be-.
yond occupied by the Federal line, saw
body oftroops moving towards hia leii
and the Federal right. Die vaa greatly
concerned 10 know, but could not decide.
what troops they were-Nhether Federal
Or Confederate. The similarity of uniform
and of ce'ofs carried byI Hhe opppainR
armies, and the clouds Of dust, made il
a,most impossible to decide.
Shortly before this time General
BeauregaTd had received from the signal
officer. Captain Alexander, 8 dispatch
saying that from the signal atation ia the
rear he has nightod the colors Of thir
column, dropping and covered with the
dust Of journeyings, but could not tell
whether they wore the ata1g aud stripes or
thestatsand bars. jHe thnught, however
that they were probably Pat.erson's troops
arriving on the field aud reinforcing the
enemy.
General BeauregaTd was momentarily
expecting help from the right, and the
uncertainty and -nxiety Of this hour
amounted to angu;,h. Sill the column
pressed on. Calling u staff officer, Gen
eral Beauregard instructed him TO go al
once TO General Johnston, at the Lewis
House, and say that the enemy were re.
ceiying; heavy Teinforcements, that the
troops on the plateau were very much
scattered, and that he would be compell.
ed to retire to the Lewis House and there
reform-hoping that the troops ordered
up from the right would arrive in time
TO enable him to es I0Ish and hold the
new line. - :
Meanwhile, the :, al nown troops were
pressing on. The d.y was sultry, and
only ut long inte, -ais iuere there the
slightest breeze. The colors OF the mys-
torious column hung dropping ON the
staff. General Beauregard tried again
and again to decide what coloIs they
carried. He used his glass repeated
ly, and ilanding it to others begged them
to look, hoping that their eyes M: .,ht be
keener than his.
General Beeuregard was in q state oi
great anxiety, but finally determined tu
hold his ground, relying on the promised
help from the right, knowing that if il
arrived in time victory might be secured
but feeling also that if the mysterious
column ahould be Federal troops the day
was lost.
Suddenly o puff OF wind spread the
colors to the breeze. 1t was the Confed.
crate ang-tho atars and bars 1t was
Early with the Twenty -fouth Virginia,
the Seventh louisiana, and the Thirteenth
Mississippi. The column had BY this
time reached the extreme right Of the
Federal lines. The moment the FLAG
was recognized Beauregsfd turned TO his
staff right and left, aayiug, SEQ thai
tho day is ourst' and ordered an i'm.
mediate advance. In the meantime
Enrly's brigade deployed into liue aud
charged the enemy's right-E'gv, also.
dashed upon the feld-and in one hour
not an enemy was to bo seen South oi
Bull Run =, rH& A@St
While on this field and suffering this
terrible anxiety, General Beauregard de.
termined that the Confederate soldier
must have flag 80 distinct from that OF
the enemy that no doubt should ever
again endanger his cause OH tho field OF
battle. -~II l
Soon after the battla he entered into
correspondence n with, Coieael William
Porcher Miles, Who had served on -ais
staff during this day, With view to socur.
ing his aid in the matter, and -pr0posing g.
blue field, Ped BARI, CROSSED, and gold
stars.
They discussed the matter ct LENGTH
Colonel Miles thought it wss contrary
To- the law of heratdry that tie ground
ehould be blue, the bars red, and the stars
go.db i-Iss proposed that stha ground
shonlhsb6 fed taslhasS blue, ANA tse stars
white.
General Beauregard approved the
change, and discusse6'tke. mattercfreoly
with General Johnston. Meanwhile it
became kGown that tho design for a flag
was under discussion, and many. dcaiyns
Ifwereisent in. AOne came from }Mississip-
ri; one from j. B. Walton and E. G.
Hancock, which coincided with the do.
sign of Colonel Miles. The matter was
freely discussed ct headquarters, till f.
nally, when he arrived at Fairfax Court
Hause,, General Bcauregnrd caused his
Idfaughtsfhan 20 Germany to make draw.
ings of all the various designs which had
been submitted. With these designs
before them the olIicers at headquarters
agreed on the famous old banner
the red field, the blue cross, and the
white stars. The flag was then submit.
ted TO tho WaF Department, and was ap
proved.
The frat flags sent to the army we've
presented to tho troops by General Beau.
| regard in pasa0n. hethen ex.srAsaines the
hope and confidence that it would become
the emblem of honor and vic,oy. '''-
The first three flags5 received d6eee
made from Ladies dresses, by the
Misses Carey, ofBsl,imore and klez.@sh-
dria,st their residences and> the resi-
Il dancns of frinnda IN eoop "a thnv, oo,,I.i