The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-04-16
ABOUT CONFEDERATE FLAG.
The Stars and Bars, the First Officially
Adopted Confederate Flag Raised on
North Carolina Sell Designed by a
Resident of Henderson, Capt. D. r.
Smith.

article on "Flags of the Confederacv,'
by ex-Representative p. d. Harrison,
of that place, in which venerable
and most estimable gentleman now
resident of Henderson, figures con
spicuously. We refer to Capt. Orren
Randolph Smith, IL veteran of both
the Mexican and Civil wars.
The fact may not be generally
known but it was Capt. Smith who
| designed the fag-Stars and Bars
OF the Confederacy and the story OF
the designing of the flag and other
| kindred incidents are most interest
ingly told in the Mirror and Ameri-
can as follows:
Ex-Representative Z. d. Harrison,
who, as is well known, has devoted a
great deal of time and made exten-
sive researches during the last three
years into the subject OF flags, makes
the following interesting contribu,
ton on the subject of Confederate
| flags:
| Shortly after the organization OF
the Southern Confederacy, which or
Cured on the 4th of February, 1861
at Montgomery, Alabama, adver-
tisements appeared in the newspa-
pers asking for designs of flags, that
were to be submitted to u committee
that had been appointed to make a
selection OF an emblem for the Con
| federate States OF America.
In response to this announcement
in the press something Ikea hundred
and thirty designs were sent from
different sections OF the South, some
coming. by mail, Others were brought
on horseback, and a few were pre-
sented by those who came on foot.
The designs represented Il great va
riety of ideas us to what Il National
flag should be, but the committee
chose the one composed of three
stripes, two red and one white, and a
blue field bearing seven white stars
in circle, one star for each State
that had up to that time seeded
! This design, about a foot long, which
was made of bunting, was devised by
Orren Randolph Smith, of Louisburg
North Carolina, and sent by mail to
Montgomery.
| This flag, known as the ''Stars and
Bars" was first displayed on March
4th, 1861, (the day Lincoln was in
augurated PresidenD over the State
House in Montgomery, and adopted
the next day by the Confederate Con
gress.
The following is a description o.
this FLAG: 'sThe flag of the COnfeder
ate States of America shall consist oI
a red field, with a white space extend
inc horizontally through the center
Fand equal in width to one-third the
width of the flag, the red spaces
above and below to be of the same
width as the white, the Union blue
extending down through the white
space and stopping at the lower rec
space, in the center of the Union {
circle of white stars corresponding il
number with the States of the Con
federacy.'
On Saturday, March 16, 1861, Mr.
Smith learned that his design hai
been adopted and on the following
day he, with the assistance of Miss
Katherine Rebecca Murphy, made 6
flag in accordance with his model
and while they sewed Miss Sallit
| Anne Murphy played Dixie anC
other Southern songs. Early or
Monday morning Mr. Smith raised
this flag in Louisburg, it being the
first Confederate flag displayed il
North Carolina. This was about
two months before the ordinance o
secession was adopted by that State
that action occurring on the Goth O
| May.
On account of the similarity of th'
STARS and Bars" and the ''Stars ant
Stripes" Git being difficult to distin
guish one from the otherin the smok
of battle) after the battle of Bull
Run, July 21, 1861, Gen. p. G. T
Beauregard urged Il change. He anC
Gen. Joseph f. Johnson selected
what was known as the" Battle Flag,
which was in use East of the Missis
sippi (the only exception being Gen
Clereburn's brigade, which had fla:
of its OWN until the close of TIL
war.
This flag came into use in Septem
Der, 1861, the design being one de
vised by Col. W. p. Miles that he ha,
submitted to the Confederate Con
gress previous to the adoption of tn
STARS and Bars" The "Southerl
Cross" as this flag became to b
known, had a red ground with blu
diagonal (St. Andrew's) cross EN-
: blazoned with white stars, one TO
each seeded State.
The first design bearing the Obiet
tion of resemblance to the stars an
stripes and the battle flag having n
reverse, selection for a Nations
emblem was made to consist OF
white flag with a broad blue band i
its centre, which was amended by il
serting the battle flag design as til
Union, with a plain ground for til
: field. The Confederate Congress
adopted this flag on May 1st, 1876:
but it was not acceptable, as til
large white field gave it a strong n
, semblance of truce; and anothe
change was made.
: On the 4th of March, 1865, Ns
tionai flag was adopted by the Coz
federate Congress, and is described a
7 follows:
1.-The width two-thirds of its lengtl
with the Union now used as a bait
, flag. to be in width three-fifths OF til
width OF the flag and soproportione
. as to leave the length of the field o
i. the side of the Union twice the widt
belowit, to have a ground OF red an
blue saltier thereun, bordered wit
: white and emblazoned with mulle1
or five pointed stars, correspondent
in number to that OF the Confedera1
|. States; the field to be OF white, exceI
the outer half from the Union, whlc
shall be red bar, extending the widt
of the flag" With the red bar acro'