The Mahoning dispatch. [volume] (Canfield, Mahoning County, Ohio) 1877-1968, 1910-03-04
1HE coNFEpERArE FLAG.
General csben Tells How the stars
and Bars were Designed.

and Bars were Designed.
General w. L. Cabell, Of Dallas,
Texas, commander of the transmits
sissippi Department of the United
Confederate Veterans, wrose recent
ly the following history of the Con-
fdderate flag:
when the Confederate army, com
manded by General Beauregard, and
the Federal army confronted each
other at Manassas it was seen that
the Confederate flag and the Stars
and Stripes looked at a distance SO
much alike that 1t was hard to dis
tinguish one from another. General
Beauregard, after the battle of July
1S at Blackburn Ford, ordered that
a small red badge should be worn on
the left shoulder Of our troops, and,
as was Chief Quartermaster, ord
cred me to purchase large quantity
of red flannel and to distribute 1t to
each regiment.
During the battle of Bull Run 1t
was plain to be seen that large
number of Federal soldiers wore a
similar red badge. General Johns
ton and General Beauregard met at
Fairfax Courthouse in the latter part
of August or early September and de-
termined to have battle flag for ev-.
cry regiment or detached command.
General Johnston's flag was in the
shape of an elipse-red flag with
blue st. Andrews cross and stars on
the cross (white) to represent the
different southern states. mo white
border of any kind was attached to
the cross.) General Beauregard's
was rectangle, red, with st. An
drew's cross and white stars, SINH
lar to General Johnston's.
after we had discussed fully the
two styles, taking into consideration
the cost of material and the care of
making the same, it was decided a
eliptical flag would be harder TO
make; that it would take more cloth
and it could not be seen so plainly at
distance; that the rectangular flag,
drawn by and suggested by General
Beauregard should be adopted, Gen.
eral Johnson yielded at once.
mo one else was present but we
three. No one knew about this flag
but we three until an order was
issued adopting the Beauregard flag,
as 1t was called and directing me as
Chief Quartermaster to have the flag
made as soon as it could be done
Immediately 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 Nc
Rae Selph, Quartermaster at Rich
mond, Va.-Captain Selph is now
living in New 0rleans-where he
was assisted by two elegant young
ladies, the Misses Carey, from Balti
more, and Mrs. Henningsen, of .Sa
vannah, and Mrs. Hopkins, of Ala
bama.
The Misses Carey made battle
flags for General Beauregard and
General Van Dorm, and, | think, fol
General j. Il. Johnston. They made
General Beauregard's out of theil
own silk dresses. This flag is now
in Memorial Hall, New Orleans, will
a statement of that fact from Genera
Beauregard. General Van Dorn's fal
was made of heavier material, bu
very pretty.
The statement going around tha
this flag was first designed by FEEDER
al prisoners is false.
General Beauregard's battle fiag
is in Memorial Hall, at New Orleans
The Washington Artillery battle fial
can be seen at the Washington Ar
tillery Hall."-Baltimore Sun.