Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-01-31
THE CONFEDERATE FLAG.
History and Description Of the Emblem
Of Secession.

History and Description Of the Emblem
Of Secession.
In the flag museum at Washington, In
the War Department building, may be
seen the first nag raised over Charleston in
1881, literally the first banner Of secession.
It Is perfect caricature Of Q flag. It IL
made Of bunting-once white, no doubt,
but now dingy with time and dust-and
upon 1t is sewed poor representation ola
palmetto tree; this has eight branches and
no leaves, and looks more like huge
spider than anything else. On 1t are also
sewn eleven red stars and red moon just
rising. This flag was used at Forts Sum-
ter and Moultrie at the outbreak Of the
war. Just as the palmetto flag was used
by the State of South Carolina when Il Sc
ceded, the pelican flag was used by Louis
lana, and flags Of other designs were used
by other States. But the first Confeder-
ate flag legally established was adopted at
Montgomery March 4, 1851. It had red
field, with q white stripe through the
center, one-third the width Of
the flag, and the union was blue.
extending down through the white
space to the second red space. and ip the
center of It was q circle of seven white
stars, indicating the number of States In
the Confederacy. This was the famous
STARS and Bars" But It was too much
like the United States flag. 30 that ON the
battlefield Of Bull Run the one was fire.
quently mistaken for the other. At tho
suggestion. of Gen. Beauregard, therefore.
the Southern Cross" or battle-fag. was
adopted for field service, and used to the
end of the war. This had red field, with
blue bars diagonally across 1t, in the form
of Greek cross, with seven stars In white
or gold. The bars were separated from
the ground by white fillet inserted. The
fiag for infantry service was made four
feet square; for cavalry three feet, and for
artillery two and half feet square. 1t
was never used for sea service, as It had no
union, and could not be reversed as . sic
nal of distress. The STARS and Bars
was therefore used by the navy. Another
flag was adopted by the Confederate
Congress May /, 1868. The length
of this flag was twice It's width.
and It had a white field with the battle
flag as itsunion. The first boat to use tins
flag was the Atlanta, the Confederate ram
which left the port Of Savannah ~ may,
with the hope Of winning laurels for the
new standard. She was met. however, Dy
the monitor Weehawken, June IL, and
after an engagement Of fifteen minutes;
she was 30 battered that her officers haule6
down her flag, tore of square OF tn
white and displayed it IS flag Of truca
This second flag was objected to becausl
Il was 80 much like the British standard,
and also because It resembled flag d
truce. The latter objection was regsrde1
as 80 valid that broad stripe o. .e1 We
attached to the fly end Of the flag. Tho
third and last ensign Of the short-lived
/ Confederacy was adopted by the Confed-
crate Congress Feb. 4, 1865. Its width
was to be two-thirds Of its length, and itl
union, for which the design Of the battle
flag was still used. was three-flfths the
width of the flag. It's field was wAite. ex-
cept the outer half from the union, which
was red bar the width of the flag. Throa
months after the adoption of the ensign.
its raison d. etre persisted in the utter over.
| throw of the Confederate armies.