Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-02
THE CONFEDERATE FLAG.
HOW the Desian was. Etnan.,

Adopted
/ r. r. Beauresard. OF New Orleans. La.
gives the. following account of the design
of the Confederate flag:
During the Battle of Manassas Cen
eral Beauregard had observed the diff
Guilty ef Distinguishing our own from the
enery's colors, and in order to prevent
all error IN the future, had determined
TO adopt in his army. a battle fiaS dis,
tnct in co'or and design. He at first
sought to- procure a change in the Com
federate flag itself. and Colonel W. p.
Miles. then chairman; OF the House s;iii-
taFg Committee had caused. at his re-
quest. a repert to, BIZ presented 10 that
effect. but with no result. In confer
eIles2 between the (theD) three senior Of
flcsrs, at Fairfax Courthouse. in Seoterl=
ber out Of four designs for q battle flag
one. presented by General Eeauregard
was adopted. 1t vas red field with 4
diagonal blue Cross the. later edged with
white and bearing white stars. To render
stead Of oblong. by order of General John
ston.
I This beautiful design. by a; strange CO.
incidence had been previously devised BY
+ Co7oRel Miles and Recommended for tie
Confederate flag TO Congress then III ses-
sion at Montgomery. in March 1851. Il
had also been proposed by Mr.. Edward
c. Hancock, al the request, of Colonel
James B. Walton at New Orleans. in the
month Of April Ii had been offered by
Colonel Mites to- Gen eraly -Beatiregard III
substitution for one nearly similar in
emblem ana PATTERN but different in, the
distribution OF cclors, suggest ed to hiru
by General BeauresaTdl when the latter
was seeking ito procure g change in the
Confederate flag. And it was .now pro-.
posed anew TO the General by, Colonel
Walton, who had A!s Hancqck;s de-.
sign. u , ii t5la
This it will be, seen that the design of
the Confederate flag vas conceived aid
drawn long before 3 Union soldier had
tried his ellill ia water eoloys on an orig,
NAL which was not and could never have.
reached the hands Of the General la
nented daughter. For she was little
girl who vas. IN Louisiana during the
whole Of our unfortunate war. and was
seen by her father only at its close,
Letter, Of stonce.yaH, Jackson tc the
Founder Of she sneceator. a<
a daughter of General Kenton Harper,
Mrs. \. E: Lyman. who was Miss Mary.
Harper. The only child of his now Nv
ing, is stopping with Mrs DR. Pa
son. has shown US most interesting
letter written by General Jackson to her
father in 1861, in his own hand. It was
mailed to him in a plain brown envelope
such as was used by his soldiers. adj
dressed Cent Eenton Harper staun-
ton, Va" franlled in the lower corner
in the style 50 familiar to the Confederate
soldier of that day, .sT ] Jackson Brig.
Gent P. A. c. s." tsignifying Provisional
Army Confederate States), and post
marked 'FairfaN Station, Sept o. due
cents :" Letters thus ranked went to
their destination without stamp, the post
age being paid OF delivery Gif
The affair of Evansville, referred to
by General Jackson was the first en-
gagement fought by his command, in
which only the Fifth Virginia Regiment,
two guns Of Pendleton's battery met. Pat
tersonfs army, and after successfully re-
sisttng Patterson,s advance, General jack
son fell back, as ordered By General Joe
Johnson. though insisted ina with HIS
Brigade alone lie could whip Patterson.s
combined force. Here is the letter.
headquarters list Brigade q. p,
Near Fairfax Station.
Sept: 18th, 1851
MY Dear General: 80
Your letter OF The 9th instant came safe
TO hand, as we'll as, your official report
OF the affair Hainesviltc, for both of
which please &c accept my thanks
Though your name no longer appears, on
the roster Of the brigade, yet your his