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Miles had help....

" Office New Orleans and Carrollton Rail Road Company,
"New Orleans, Jan. 24th, 1872.
" Dear Sir. In answer to the inquiries contained in your
letter of the 3d inst., relative to the origin of the confederate
battle flag and the devices of the Louisiana state flag, flying on
the City Hall of New Orleans, when Commodore Farragut
appeared before this city in April, 1862, I give you with pleasure
the following information.
At the battle of Manassas, on the 21st of July, 1861, 1 found
it difficult to distinguish our then confederate flag from the United
States flag (the two being so much alike), especially when
Gen. Jubal A. Early made the flank movement which decided
the fate of the day ; and I then resolved to have ours changed if
practicable, or to adopt for my command a battle flag which
would be entirely different from any state or federal flag ! After
the battle it was found that many persons in both armies firmly
believed that each side had used, as a stratagem, the flags of his
opponent. General Joseph E. Johnston, commanding the Con
federate States' forces, determined to have the troops furnished
with their state flags, and I entered into correspondence with
Colonel William Porcher Miles, the chairman of the house mili
tary committee, to have our national flag changed. But that
was found to be impracticable at the time, and none of the states,
except Virginia, having furnished flags to their troops, General
Johnston, on consultation at Fairfax Court House, Virginia, with
General G. W. Smith, commanding the army of the Shenandoah
(2d corps), and myself, commanding the army of the Potomac
(1st corps), decided to adopt a battle flag for our forces.
Many designs were presented, and we gave the preference to
one of those offered by Colonel J. B. Walton, commanding the
Louisiana Washington artillery, which corresponded closely to
the one recommended to congress by Colonel Miles, as our first
national flag. Both were oblong, the field was red, the bars blue,
and the stars white ; but Colonel Walton's had the Latin cross,
and Colonel Miles's the St. Andrew's which removed the objec
tion that many of our soldiers might have to fight under the
former symbol. General Johnston preferred a square flag to
render it more convenient to carry, and we finally adopted, in
September, 1861, the well known battle flag of the army of
the Potomac (as it was first called), to which our soldiers became
so devoted. Its field was red or crimson, its bars were blue, and
running diagonally across from one corner to the other, formed the
Greek cross, the stars on the bars were white or gold, their num
ber being equal to the number of states in the confederacy, the blue
bars were separated from the red field by a small white fillet. The
size of the flag, for infantry, was fixed at 4 X 4 feet, for artillery at
3X3 feet, and for cavalry at 2 I/2 X 2 1/2 feet. It had the merit of
being small and light, and of being very distinct at great distances.
But it was not accepted by the Confederate government until it had
been consecrated by many a hard fought battle, when it became
the union of our second and third confederate national flags.1
" When I assumed command of the troops in western Ten
nessee, February 1862, I found that Gen. Polk had adopted for
his forces a flag nearly similar to the one I had designed for the
army of the Potomac, i. e., a blue field with a white St Andrew's
cross, and blue or gold stars. Gen. Hardee had for his division,
a blue field with a full white circle in its center. I gave
orders to have them replaced as soon as practicable by the battle
flag of the army of the Potomac'. In September, 1862, when I
returned to Charleston, I substituted the same banner for the
State flags, then principally used in the department of South
Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. It became thus in our armies
the emblem of southern valor and patriotism, and should we ever
be compelled to have a foreign war, I trust that this standard will
be adopted as our national battle flag, to which southern soldiers
will always gladly rally in a just cause.
"The state flag referred to by you, was adopted by the secession
convention, and contained thirteen stripes, four blue, six
white, and three red, commencing at top with the colors as
written. The union was red, with its sides equal to the width
of seven stripes; in its center was a single pale yellow star with
five points.
" I remain your's truly,
"G. T. Beauregard."-

Messages In This Thread

Would like to learn more about William P. Miles *NM*
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Miles had help....
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Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
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Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA *PIC*
Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
Re: Question about Second National Flag of CSA
Re: Would like to learn more about William P. Mile
Re: Would like to learn more about William P. Mile