The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-08-13
sToRx OF CONFEDERATE FLAG
General ". L. csbeII Tells How stars
and Bars Were Designed


and Bars Were Designed
General W. L. Caben Of Dallas,
Texas. commander Of the transmits
sissippi department Of the United
Confederate Veterans wrote recently
Cor the Chattanooga Times the follow
ing history Of the Confederate flag:
when the Confederate army, COM
handed by General Beauregard, and
the Federal army confronted each
other a. Manassas it was seen that
the Confederate flag and the Stars
and Stripes looked at a distance so
mnch alike that II was hard TO distin-
euish one from another. General
Beauregard, after the battle of July
10. at Blackburn Ford, ordered that
q small red badge should be worn
On the left shoulder by our troops
and, as was chief quartermaster, or
dered me 70 purchase large quanti-
ty Of red flannel and TO distribute It
90 each regiment
During the battle of Bull Run II
was plain to be seen that a large
number Of Federal soldiers wore a
similar red badge General Johnston
and General Beauregard met at Fair
fax Courthouse in the latter part Of
August, OF early September, and de-
fermined to have a battle flag for ev-
cry regiment or detached command.
General JohnstOn's flag was in the
shape Of an ellipse-a red flag with
blue St. Andrews cross and stars on
the cross (white) to represent the diff
ferent southern states. (No white
border of any kind was attached TO
the cross). General Beauregards was
a rectangle, red, with st. Andrews
cross and white stars, similar 20 Gen
eral Johnston's.
AFTER we had discussed fully the
two styles. taking into consideration
the cost Of material and the care Of
making the same, il was decided the
eIIiptical flag would be harder to
make; that il would take more cloth
and Il could not be seen so plainly at
a distance; that the rectangular flag,
drawn by and suggested by General
Beauregard should be adopted. Gen
eral Johnston yielded at once.
NO one else was present but We
three. No one knew about the flag
hut we three until an order was issued
adopting the Beauregard flag. as il
Vas called, and directing me. as chief
quartermaster. to have the flag made
rs soon as ii could be done. imme-
Sfately issued an address to the good
ladies Of the south to give me their
red and blue silk dresses, and TO send
them to Captain Colin McRae Selph,
nuartermaster at Richmond, Va.
GCaptain Selph is now living at New
Orleans), where he was assisted by
two elegant young ladies, the Misses
Carey. from Baltimore, with Mrs
Henningsen Of Savannah and Mrs
Hopkins of Alabama.
The Misses Carey made battle
aags for General Beauregard and
General Van Dorm, and, I think. for
General J. z. Johnston. They made
General Beauregard's out Of their own
silk dresses. This flag is now in Me-
mortal Hall. New Orleans. with a
statement of that fact from General
Beauregard. General Van Dorn's flag
was made Of heavier material, but
was very pretty.
"The statement going around that
this flag was first designed by FEEDER
nj prisoners is false.
General Beauregard's battle flag is
in Memorial Hall, at New Orleans.
The Washington Artillery battle flag
can be seen at the Washington Artil-
lery Hail.