The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-06-03
CONFEDERATE FLAG WAS
DESIGNED BY TARHEEL
Committee on Claims For Honor of
Having Created Stars and Bars
Awards IL 10 Orrcn n.
Smith,

That the har of the Confederacy
was designed by Major .Orren Ran
dolph Smith, OF Louisburg. n. c.,
was officially determined yesterday
by the United Confederate Veterans
in their adoption of the report of
committee named for the purpose of
investigating the claims presented.
The committee report was presented 10
the convention by General c. Irving
Walker, Summerville. s. c.. and
was signed by General Thomas Green,
of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and General
John y. Hickman, of Nashville, Tenn,
other members of the committee
The findings reported by the COM
mittee and adopted are. in part,
William -Porcher Miles, for the
committee on flag and seal of the
Confederacy. made report TO the pro-
visional congress of the Confederate
States. at Montgomery. Ala, March 4,
1861. and with this report was sub
mitted the selected design for the flag
MIR. Miles reported that something
was conceded by the committee to
what seemed a strong desire to retain
AT itASI II -SlLEBtStlbh pl the btu stars
AMI Stripes. The design submitted by
the committee and subsequently APP
proved by the congress, was pracu-
'Cally the same as the Stars and Stripes,
except that the bars, red white and
red were substituted for the thirteen
stripes.
THE Miles report brought out that
the Southern people earnestly foved
the old Union; that they seeded there
from with deep regret when forced To
do so 10 maintain their rights as a free
people, and that tbs attachment was
so strong that the congressional com
mittee was obliged to recommend
flag closely resembling old Glory,
There were two claimants for the
honor of having designed the Stars
and Bars. the veterans committee
states, and evidence in support Of
their claims was presented by and on
behalf of each The claimants were
Major Orren Randolph Smith (now
deceased), of Louisburg. y. G., whose
claim was presented by his daughter,
Miss Jessica X. Smith, and Nicola
Marschsl an artist, who. in 1861,
lived in Marion. Ala, and ks now a
resident of Louisville, Ky. Mr.. Mar
schalls claim was filed by his wsre
and supplemented by Mrs Chappell
Cory, of Birming ham, Ala The testi-
mony submitted was considered from
three viewpoints: First, that of con-
temporaneous, or local opinion of the
facts; second that of the direct evil
dence of persons, other than the
claimants, as to the designing and
submission of the design to the flag
committee of the Confederate con-
gress. and, third that of statements
made personally by the claimants.
Reviewing the testimony, the report
continues, the committee finds:
THAT it was the belief, in 1861, OF
persons residing in the immediate
vicinity of the residence of the claim
ants, that each of said claimants had
submitted the chosen design.
That the lady who made Major
Smiths model and four other persons
who saw her making il testified that
the lag was Major Smiths design,
that Ii was sent to the Confederate
authorities at Montgomery and that
ii was the same as the Stars nd Bars
flag adopted by the Confederate con-
gress. Claimants of Mr.. Marschaii
stated they did not deny that Major
Smith sent a model to MONTGOMERY
There is no evidence submitted to
show that any person testifying ex-
cept Mr.. Marschail, himself, ever saw
his model, or OF their own knowledge
knew that such was made, or that 1t
was handed to the Confederate con-
gressional committee,
Your committee is not, from the
evidence before 1t. convinced that Mr.
Masschali, eyer -subsaittaa d a. design fey
the flag. The evidence does show that
Major smith sfid submit design.
Your committee ia cnnyineed that
Major Smith did submit design. As
the design which the congressional
committee submitted with its report,
which was adopted, the evidence most
clearly shows to he the same as Major
Smith, q design, IL is, Tesfsora bic to COM
clude that Major Smith submitted the
design Of the stars and Bars of the
Confederate States.
"Your committee would therefore
report, after a most careful considera-
fion and thorough investigation, that
the honor of having designed the firsf
nag OF the Confederate States, known
ass rffe Stars and Bars IL due anil
should be awarded by the United Con-
fsAerste Nstanans ~ the Late Major
Eurrsn Randolph Smith. Of Lonishurs,