The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-07-17
STARS AND BARS.
STORY OF HOW CONFEDERATE FLAG WAS
SELECTED.
Orren Randolph Smith, OF Louisburg,
Now Resident of Henderson, De-
signed 1.-THE Confederate Battle
Flag and the Southern Cross.

From News and Observer.
Early in 1861, while the seat of the
Confederate Government was Mont
gomery, Ala, there appeared in the
papers an advertisement for designs
of flags that one might be selected
bv the committee for the flag of the !
Confederate States of America.
Samples came from all parts of the
country, through the mails, on horse
back and on foot, and We're of every |
conceivable shape and variety. From
the number received every company |
of the Confederate army might have
fought under different flag. Some |
of the flags had States to support
their claims, South Carolina to a
man voted that her own palmetto
Tree" should be 1.-The flag" and Fort
Sumter. in February, 1861, did sur
render under "the Palmetto. Texas
wished the whole Confederacy to
adopt 1.-The Bonnie Blue flag that
bears but single star.
But the committee selected as the
model. IA little flag about a foot long,
made of bunting and sent from the
"Good Old North State This flag
was made of three bars red and
| one white, representing State, church
and the press, a blue field bearing the
white stars. The blue field was the
Constitution, and the seven stars. all
| of the same size, the States that
seeded, showing that each State had
| equal rights without regard to size
or population. The stars were i'll Il
circle standing for eternity and You
protect and I'll defend you With
this flag went the suggestion that a
star should be added for each State
that joined the Confederacy.
This was the original ''secesh' flag
and the man who designed it was
Orren Randolph Smith, of Louisburg,
\. C.. who instead of going to school
one day, threw his books i'll II corner
of the fence and ran away and enlist
ed in the North Carolina Volunteers
and was with Taylor all through the
Mexican war. In 81 he went with
Albert Sidney Johnson to Utah, so
he was no novice in the art OF making
war and knew the needs of n flag
that had deep meanings for a people
to "die for.
| AS soon as he heard that the com
mittee of the Southern States had
accepted his model Saturday, April
10th, 1861 ,Ihe bought the materials
and. with the assistance OF Miss
Katherine Rebecca Murphy, the flag
was made Though it took nearly all
of the next day, Sunday, to do it,,
and while they sewed on the flag Miss
Sally Anne Murphy played ''Dixie
and other Southern songs. Early on
Monday morning, April the 18th,
1851, this flag was sent alOft and
was the first Confederate flag that
ever ioated to the breezes in North
Carolina. The ordinance of secession
was not signed in this State until
May 20, 1861.
After the second battle of MANASSAS
it was found that it was difficult to
, distinguish the STARS and Bars
from the STARS and Stripes, SO a
, new flag was adopted. This was n
, white flag with red field, with cross
, gules bearing eleven stars. The cross
gules were, a blue cross upon a white
> one, the blue cross bearing the stars
This flag was only used a short time
. for at a little distance it looked too
{ much like a flag of truce, SO broad
bar of red was placed on the end, but
9 this became ragged and worn ano
, was not satisfactory and the Con
+ federate States adopted the ''COnfed
crate Battle Flag as the flag.
. The Romans and Carthagenian'
! used the red flag AZ their battle fiat
and it has since been the battle fiae
o of all nations" When used by TIN
q Confederacy it bore the cross gules
bearing the eleven stars, one 10
y each State, and was known rs TIN
: Southern Cross
= Such pitiful tales were told OF tn
accidents that occ' rred from the con
fusion of flags, one was OF boy
Willie Pierce who was ust Ol'
enough to be mustered i'll and earl
i'm 60. while in some night sklrmis
with his mates OF the ''Old Dominic
Guards" (of Portsmouth, Va thei
flag was mistaken for the Stars an
Stripes" and he was shot and kille
by men OF his own regiment.
Gen. William r. Cox, Ii genuin
Tar Heel" fired the last round an
lowered the last Confederate flag a
ApDomattox that foated over ''Ii
Lost Cause" This flag was ''Ti
Battle Flag" or The Souther
y, Gross and bore eleven stars
Please, some one who can. writ
the whole history of the 'tonfedera'
Flags" preferably some one wh'
r. with General Tom Smith, Of Suffol
can say, las he did on Memorial Da,
Comrades, the grandest words
man can say are these: L follow'
Lee" And let the Crosses of Hone
=. given TO these followers of Lee n'
bear thirteen stars for the origin
thirteen States" but eleven STAR
for the eleven Confederate States
America.
JESSICA RANDOLPH SMITH.