The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
CONFEDERATE FLAGS.
Gen. CabeII Tells How They Were
Designed.

Designed.
Fso-n The Chstszpooss Tres-
The preparations now being made
throughout the South for the reunion OF
veterans makes OF unusual interest at
the present time a statement made a
number or years ago by Gen ". L Ca
bell. of Dallas, Tex. IN regard 10 how
and where the battle flags of the Confed-
erecy were designed. Gen. Caben IS com
mander Of the Trans-N Mississippi Depart
ment OF the United Confederate Veterans.
He declares the following TO be a true
history Of the flag:
When the Confederate army. con-
manded by Gen. BeaUregard, and the
Federal army confronted each other az
Manassas. Il was seen that the Confed-
crate hag and the stars and Stripes look
cd at a distance so much alike that Il
was hard 70 distinguish one from another.
Gen. Besuregard, after the battle OF the
18th OF July. al Blackburn Ford. ordered
that a small red badge should be worn
on the left shoulder by our troops. and.
as I was chief quarternsster ordered me
20 purchase a large quantity Of red fan
mel and to distribute It 20 each regiment
During the battle Of Bull Run It was
plain 70 be seen that a large number OF
Federal soldiers wore a similar red
badge Gen Johnston and Gen. Beaure-
gard met az Fairfax Court House. in the
latter part Of August OF early Septem-
Der. and determined 10 have a battle fiag
for every regiment OF detached command
Gen. Johnston's flag was In the shape
Of an elllpse-e red flag with blue ST. An
drew's cross and stars on the cross
(white) 10 represent the different South
ern States (No white border OF any kind
was attached 70 the cross.) Gen. Beaure-
CARDS was a .rectangFe. red. with blue
ST Andrews cross and white stars. SINH
lar 70 Gen JOhnstOn's
After We had discussed fully the two
STYLES. taking into consideration the cost
OF material and care Of making the same.
Il was decided the elliptical flag would
be harder 10 make: that Il would take
more cloth. and IL could not be seen 50
plainly at a distance; that the rectangu-
lar fag. drawn by and suggested by Gen
Beauregard, should be adopted Gen
Johnston yielded at once
NO one else was present but We three.
No one knew about this flag but we three
until an order was issued adopting the
BeauregaTd fag. as II vas called. and
directing me. as chief QuaTtermaster, TO
have the flag made IS soon as K could
be done 7 Immediately issued an address
20 the good ladies Of the South 10 give me
their red and blue silk dresses and 70
send then 70 Capt Colin McRae Selph.
uuartermaster at Richmond. Va. Capt.
Selph IS nov living in New Orleansl,
where he Tas assisted BY two elegant
young ladies, the Misses Carey. from Bal
tirlore. and Mrs. Henringsen, OF Savan-
mar. and Mrs. Hopkins. OF Alabama.
The Misses Carey made battle flags
for Gen Beauregard and Gen. Van
Dorm and. think. for Gen. J. F. Johns
Ton. They made Gen. Beauregard's out
OF their own silk dresses. This nag Is
now n Memorial Hell, New Orleans, La,
with a statement Of that fact from Gen.
Beauregard. Gen Van Dorn's flag was
made Of heavier material but very pretty.
The statement going around that this
nag was first designed by Federal pTis-
oners IS false
Gen. Besuregard's battle flag IS in Me-
mortal Hall at New Orleans. La. The
washington artillery battle flag can be
seen az the Washington Artillery Hall"