Confederate Flags

We've been trying to figure out all the different flags that represented the Confederate States. Gene did some research and here you go! The pictures are from the Jefferson Davis Memorial. Gene speaks:

At the time of the Civil War (normally called the War Between the States in the South), the carrying of a flag into battle was very important. They were fighting for that flag, it would be carried into battle with pride, and was to be saved from peril at all costs. There were many occasions when the flag was picked up from a fallen bearer to continue into battle.

As the Southern States seceded and formed the Confederate States of America, it was paramount that they had their own flag to rally around and to fight for. Flag designs were chosen, made and used but problems seem to crop up with each one. In fact, Confederate government had to change flag designs several times due to these problems.

The first official flag of the Confederacy was call the “Stars and Bars” and was used from March 5, 1861 to May, 1863. The number of stars represented each of the Southern States that had seceded from the Union. However, it also caused too much confusion in the smoky, fields of battle because it looked so similar to the Unions “Stars and Stripes”.

The second official flag of the Confederacy corrected this problem by taking the well-known battle flag and placing it in the upper quarter of the new white flag. This flag was called the ‘Stainless Banner” and did correct the problem of the first flag, but, when a battlefields was windless this flag, when furled, would hide the quarter design and look more like a flag of truce or surrender!

This bad luck in flag design lasted almost the entire war. A third official flag was adopted on March 4, 1865, about a month before the fall of the Confederacy itself. A red vertical stripe was added to the end of the flag to counter the confusion with a flag of surrender, but wasn’t used very long!

If you’re like me, none of these flags are as recognizable as the fourth (but never official) flag of the Confederacy. The Navy Jack flag is the full sized “Southern Cross” ( it was a full-sized version of their battle flag). This flag was carried only by Confederate ships from 1863 to 1865. It was designed in hopes of becoming the first official flag but was rejected by the Confederate government. Today it is the most recognizable symbol of the South where it is called the “Rebel” or “Dixie” flag, in fact it has taken on the erroneous name of the “Stars and Bars” and was never considered an official flag of the Government. This flag is still visible throughout what we have seen of the South (lots at Daytona!), though I do notice that there are many flagpoles flying the Stars and Stripes above many homes during our State-crossing trips off of the Interstates.

Aside from Barb: Government offices are prohibited from flying the Southern Cross flag. At the Pres. Jefferson Davis Memorial Capture site however, there is a HUGE Southern Cross flying right outside the gate. Turns out that someone bought a small piece of property just so they could fly it. Evidently it is a bit embarrasing because when we mentioned it the Park Service Ranger was quick to explain that it didn't belong to the Park Service! Its on private property! He says that occasionally he'll see a TV crew pull up to film it and he has to run out and explain.