The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-09
MANY MISTAKES
 ABOUT THE FLAGS pr, Lewis Describes the Correct
 Battle Flag" MUST ALWAYS BE SQUARE It Has Been Confused With Naval Jack Which Was obIong and
 Is Now Generally

Owing to the fact that there were so many mistaken ideas of what the correct flag of the Confectionery were like, a committee was appointed at the reunion which met in Nashville in 1904 to investi- gate the matter. Since that time, the flag manufacturers have been making the same mistakes as before pr. Samuel E. Lewis of Washington, who was the chairman of the committee on flags in speaking of the matter last night said ::
 'The most important mistake that is at present being made in the Confed- crate flags is regard to the battle flag and the naval jack However, a great many people do not know the difference between the other flags, nor exactly how many of them there were The first flag that was used was the one known as the stars and bars It had a blue field in the upper left hand corner and In this were six five-ponted stars of white. The remainder of the flag was composed of three stripes or bars, two of red and one of white, all stripes being of the same width. The length of the flag was one and one-half times it's width
 ''The next flag that came into use was the battle flag. This is the one that Is usually confused with the naval jack This flag was square, having a Greek cross (saltier) of blue edged with white, with IS equal five-pointed white stars; upon a red field: the whole bordered with white.
 f1afr o1n taI I,rt tI,a Confederacy was obong in shape. it's length being twice its width. The ground of the flag was white and in the upper left hand corner it held as a union. reproduction of the battle flag. This union extended fifths of the width of the entire flag.
 Later the government changed the above flag until it's. shape and descrip- tion was follows: the width was two thirds of the length and the ground of the flag white except for the outer end. which was red The upper left hand corner held union which was like the one in the first national flag. The union which was square was three-fifths of the width of the flag.
 'The flag used by the navy were with one exception, different from those used by the army. The stars and bars which I have previously described was used. The second flag adopted by the navy wa the new ensign It was a reduplication of the first national flag except in shape. The length of the national flag was twice its width. while the length of tho new ensign was only one and one half times the width.
 ''rhe naval jack was exactly like the battle flag except that it was obong in- stead of square This has led to great many mistakes. Over half of the men who hang up Confederate flags use the oblong flag with the Greek cross. think ing they are using the correct battle flag, while they are in fact, using the the naval jack. The official battle flag was square and this should be the one used in decorations.
 "The fact that this flag was square in shape has led some men to propose that 1t be made the offical battle flag Of the United States. The oblonS stars and stripes will not stand out unless the wind is blowing very hard. while a square flag would wave in a light breeze al it is not so heavy. At present noth'":s is being done in regard to the matter. but men who are greatly interested in the experiment say that this may be brought about"