Civil War Flags
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Union
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At the outbreak of the Civil War (1861), the US Flag had a field of
33 stars representing 33 states. President Lincoln refused to remove
the stars representing those states which seceded from the Union.
From the first 3 months until 1863, the flag had 34 stars. In 1863, West
Virginia separated from Virginia to join the Union. Consequently the
Union flag had 35 stars until the close of the Civil War.
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Confederate
The first Official Flag of the Confederacy
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Although less well known than the "Confederate Battle Flags"
,the Stars and Bars was used as the official flag of the Confederacy
from March 1861 to May of 1863. The pattern and colors of this flag
did not distinguish it sharply fom the Stars and Stripes of the Union.
Consequently, considerable confusion was caused on the battlefield.
The seven stars represent the original Confederate States; South
Carolina (December 20, 1860), Mississippi (January 9, 1861), Florida
(January 10,1861), Alabama (January 11, 1861), Georgia (January 19,
1861), Louisiana (January 26, 1861), and Texas
(February 1, 1861).
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The Confederate Battle Flag
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The best-known Confederate flag, however, was the Battle Flag,
the familiar "Southern Cross". It was carried by Confederate troops
in the field which were the vast majority of forces under the confederacy.
The Stars represented the 11 states actually in the Confederacy plus
Kentucky and Missouri.
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The second Official Flag of the Confederacy.
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On May 1st,1863, a second design was adopted, placing the Battle Flag
(also known as the "Southern Cross") as the canton on a white field. This
flag was easily mistaken for a white flag of surrender especially when the
air was calm and the flag hung limply. The flag now had 13 stars having
been joined officially by four more states, Virginia (April 17, 1861), Arkansas
(May 6, 1861), Tennessee (May 7, 1861), North Carolina (May 21, 1861).
Efforts to secede failed in Kentucky and Missouri though those states were
represented by two of the stars.
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The third Official Flag of the Confederacy
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On March 4th,1865, a short time before the collapse of the Confederacy,
a third pattern was adapted; a broad bar of red was placed on the fly
end of the white field.
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Confederate Navy Jack
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Used as a navy jack at sea from 1863 onward. This flag has
become the generally recognized symbol of the South.
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The famous Bonnie Blue flag
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of seccession deserves mention due to its fame from the song "the
Bonnie Blue flag". Rarely used as a battle flag--the four-pointed star
flag of the 32nd/36th Texas Cavalry a notable exception, the Bonnie
Blue did see some use as a company flag within regiments or some
battalions (groups of companies smaller than regiments) or artillery
batteries, mostly with troops in the Trans-mississippi or Mississippi valley.
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