The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-02
Smith
GIVEN CREDIT
FOR DESIGNING
.STARSANDbARS
SUBJECT WHICH HAS BEEN IN
CONTROVERSY MANY YEARS
IS FINALLY SETTLED BY COM.
MlTTEE APPOINTED TO INvEs.
TIGATE THE MATTER
(Bg Associated Press.)

credit for having designed the first
flag of the Confederate States-the
stars and Bars"-is awarded to the
late Major Orren Randolph Smith.
of Louisburg, North Carolina, by the
United Confederate Veterans COM
mittee, appointed to investigate the
matter. The report of the commit
tee was submitted to the reunion
here TODAY by General G.. Irvine
Walker, of Summerville, s. c.,
chairman Other members of the
committee who signed the report are
Major-General Thomas Green, Pine
Bluff, Ark. and Major-General John
P. Hickman. Nashville, Tenn.
The subject has been one of con- :
troversy for many years and the in
vestigation and conclusions of the
committee, which was assisted IN
gathering evidence by committees OF
the Daughters of the Confederacy,
Sons of Confederate Veterans and
the Confederate Southern Memorial
Association, are considered Of much
historic interest. The veterans re-
port states tha most exhaustive
examination of he whole matter was
made. The findings are given in
part as follows:
civilian Porcher Miles, for the
committee on flag and seal OF the
Confederacy, made report to the
Provisional Congress of the Confed-
crate States, at Montgomery, Ala,
March 4, 1861, and with this report
was submitted the selected design
for the flag. Mr.. Miles reported
that something was conceded by
the committee to what seemed
strong desire to retain at least
suggestion of the old Stars and
Stripes The design submitted by
the committee and subsequently ap-
proved by the Congress-, was practi-
cally the same as the Stars and
Stripes, except that the bars-red.
white and blue-were substituted for
the thirteen stripes.
"The Miles report brought out
! that the Southern people earnestly
loved the old Union; that they Sc
ceded therefrom with deep regret
when forced to do so to maintain
their rights as free people. and
that his attachment was so strong
htat the congressional committee
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, N.
lC., whose claim was presented by
his daughter, Miss Jessica R. Smith
and Nicola Marschall, an artist, who
|
is now a resident of Louisville, Ky
Mr.. Marschall's claim was filed by
his wife and supplemented by Mrs
IChappell Cory, of Birmingham, Ala
The testimony submitted was COLI
sidered from three viewpoints;
! First, that of contemporaneous, ol
I'D 4f hA 20
that of the direct Evidence of per
sons, other than the claimants, as t
1.-The designing and submission OF thu
design to the flag committee Of th'
Confederate Congress. and thirt
: that of statements made PERSONAL!
by the claimants.
Reviewing the testimony, the re
port continues, the committee finds
THAT it was the belief, in 1851
of persons residing in the immedi
ate vicinity of the residence Of tn
, claimants, that each of said claim
ants had submitted the chosen de
sign.
THAT the lady who made Majo
Smiths model and four other per
D sons who saw her making it testifie
' that the flag was Major Smiths de
: sign, that it was sent to the Con
5 federate authorities at Montgomer
5 and that it was the same as tn
: STARS and Bars flag adopted by tn
|. iConfederate Congress. Claimants 9
o Mr.. Marschall stated thaey did nc
a deny that Major Smith sent a mode
t to Montgomery. There is no ev
: dence whatever submitted to sho'
e that any person testifying exceT
II Mr.. Marschall. himself. ever saw h
d model, or of their own knowledg
= that such was made. or that 1t wa
: handed to the Confederate Congre'
t sional committee.
(Continued on Page f.