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Confederate Flag

"Confederate flags and post-war, reunion-era flags are not hate banners, which makes them very unlike the flags used in Hitler's spread of hate, racism, and death. Not only did Nazi flags act as military signals, they also trumpeted Hitler's master plan and that of the Nazi Party, which was to wipe from the earth those who did not fit the Aryan mold. Confederate flags, in stark contrast, were devised by the Confederate government, during wartime, when need arose to devise signals for the Confederate Army and Navy. These men were fighting to protect their families, homes, and land, from a national government that didn't seem to understand them. Slavery was an unfortunate and unforgivable part of that for some men and women, but most didn't own plantations or slaves. Most were God-fearing people who were not looking to spread hate. That is the key difference in the American South of the nineteenth century and the men of the Third Reich."

What today is called “the Confederate flag” (the star-studded blue diagonal cross on a field of red) was born as the battle flag of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. In May 1863 when the Confederate Congress approved a new national flag featuring the Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) battle flag. The battle flag became the logo of the United Confederate Veterans and, later, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, to honor the effort and sacrifice of Confederate soldiers, without reference to the causes for which they fought. In the 20th Century, Southerners saw no conflict between waving and wearing this flag, and fighting around the world under the flag of the Union. From the early 1950s to the late 1970s, the battle flag experienced an intense nationwide fad, and became a widely used popular culture symbol, assuming new meanings as a symbol of rebellion, of rednecks, “good ol’ boys,” and southern rock music.

According to a 2011 Pew Research Center poll, about one in ten Americans feels positively when they see the Confederate battle flag displayed. The same study found that 30 percent of Americans reported a negative reaction to seeing the flag on display. African-Americans, Democrats and the highly educated were more likely to perceive the flag negatively. But the majority, about 60 percent, reported feeling neither positive nor negative.

The Confederate States of America employed multiple official national flags during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865, along with various military banners that became deeply associated with the Confederate cause. The evolution of these flags reflected both practical military considerations and the political sensibilities of the secessionist government. Understanding the distinct flags used by the Confederacy requires distinguishing between the three successive national flags adopted by the Confederate Congress and the various battle flags employed by Confederate military forces, particularly the square battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia that has become the most recognizable Confederate symbol in modern times despite never serving as the Confederacy's official national flag.

On the 13th of November, 1860, just a week after the election of Lincoln, a torchlight procession paraded the streets of Columbia, South Carolina, and the Stars and Stripes was lowered from the State House, and the palmetto flag raised in its place. On the day when the ordinance of secession was passed, the convention adopted a new banner for the "independent commonwealth." It was composed of red and blue silk, the former being the ground of the standard, and the latter, in the form of a cross, bearing fifteen stars. The larger star was for South Carolina. In one upper corner was a white crescent moon, and in the other a palmetto-tree. A small medal was also struck to commemorate the event.

One of the earliest banners recorded in Charleston was of blue silk bearing a single gold star and was presented by Capt. F. W. Wagoner to the German Artillerj- on Nov. 9th. On the 11th a white flag was cast to the breeze from the flagpole of the Courier office on East Bay : this bore a palmetto tree on one side, a single star on the other, with the inscription: * South Carolina has moved, other States must follow.'

As the symbol of State sovereignty the convention adopted a silk flag with a red field bearing a blue cross on which were set fifteen stars for the fifteen slaveholding States. One of these stars, central and larger than the others, represented South Carolina. On the red field was a palmetto and crescent. In anticipation of the action of the Columbia convention the ladies of Charleston purchased material and made what is claimed to be secession's first flag, to help celebrate that momentous event, and hoisted it on the staff of the customhouse, in that city, on the 21st of December. The flag is 8 feet long by 6 feet broad with a Turkey red field bearing a large five-pointed white star near the center, and a crescent, in white, in the upper corner next to the staff.

The public criticized the flag for several reasons, but the main objection was its resemblance to the Turkish flag. It was then remodeled, and the State Legislature adopted it in its changed form as the flag of Sovereignty of South Carolina. In its new form, it had the cross of St. George, in blue, as its main quartering, the cross on the upright, as well as transverse, being studded with white stars, each star to represent a state of the Confederacy.

When the legislature of Louisiana assembled at Baton Rouge on the 21st of January, 1861, a flag with fifteen stars, one for each of the slave States, was raised over the State House. The convention subsequently adopted a State flag which is described as " A flag of thirteen horizontal stripes, - four blue, six white, and three red, commencing with the blue at the top, and alternating with the white. The union was red, with its sides equal to the width of the seven upper stripes, and resting on a white stripe; in its center was a single pale yellow, five-pointed star.

At the commencement of the war, as the companies were organized, many of them were presented flags emblazoned with figures and mottoes emblematic of the sentiments of the time, and presentations of flags to regiments and companies were not entirely abandoned even after the Southern cross had been adopted for the battle flag. A multiplicity of designs came into use, and a few of them were carried until the close of the war. It is probably true that no other nation since the world began fought under such a variety of banners as did the Confederate soldiers. Some of these flags were made of the regular bunting, while others, on account of the scarcity of this material, were fashioned from bridal robes and the silk dresses of prominent society ladies, who thus gave expression to their patriotism. There were several instances where flags were made of new silk and embroidered with gold, at a cost of several hundred dollars.

Flags in the American Civil War were the “premier trophy” of an opposing force. Capturing the enemy’s colors in battle was a symbolic and rewarding feat for the soldiers. However, capturing these banners usually meant a fight to the death. Color bearers and their guards knew and realized the importance of the instruments that they were entrusted with by their comrades to protect and they rarely surrendered them without a vicious fight. Soldiers of the Civil War would kill for the capture of these flags and likewise they would fight to the death in order to protect them. Therefore it is not surprising to know that more soldiers in the Union Army would receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions regarding the flag than for any other reason.

The First National Flag: "Stars and Bars" (1861-1863)

The first official flag of the Confederate States of America, adopted on March 4, 1861, became known as the "Stars and Bars" and bore a notable resemblance to the United States flag it was meant to replace. The design featured three horizontal stripes of equal width, two red stripes separated by a white stripe, with a blue canton in the upper left corner containing a circle of white stars representing the seceding states. The number of stars varied as additional states joined the Confederacy, ultimately reaching thirteen to include the eleven seceding states plus Missouri and Kentucky, which had rival Confederate governments despite remaining largely under Union control. The flag's designer, Nicola Marschall, a Prussian-born artist living in Alabama, created a banner that many Confederate leaders initially praised for its distinctiveness from the United States flag, though this assessment would prove problematic in practice.

Shortly after the organization of the Confederate government advertisements appeared in the newspapers, asking for designs of flags, to be submitted to a committee appointed to make a selection of an emblem for the Confederate States of America. The Provisional Congress which met in Montgomery had a committee on devising a flag. The immense number of models submitted may be divided into two great classes, first, those which copy and preserve the principal features of the United States flag with slight, and unimportant modifications, and, second, those which are very elaborate, complicated and fantastical. Hundreds of designs were submitted from all parts of the country. Not one of them in the least resembled the battle-flag.

In the War Department, Washington, District of Columbia, is a scrap-book of designs for a Confederate flag, a most curious relic of the Southern Confederacy. In response to inquiries concerning this collection, Brigadier-General F. C. Ainsworth, Military Secretary of the War Department, under date of July 31,1905, wrote as follows: "Several years ago 141 designs for a Confederate flag, most of which designs were submitted to a committee of the Confederate Congress, appointed for the purpose of taking into consideration the adoption of a flag for the Confederate States of America, together with the communications with which such designs were submitted, were gathered together from the Confederate Archives of this office and were pasted in a large book where they could be preserved and be readily accessible for use whenever the necessity therefor arose, the various designs submitted being placed in proximity to the communications with which they were received. The communications emanated from nearly all the sections of the Confederate States and bear various dates, although the greater number of them were written in February, 1861. In some cases the name of the designer is given, while in others no name whatever, or a fictitious name appears."

The committee could not agree upon a flag. They finally determined to submit four designs to Congress, from which they should by vote select one. A flag should be simple, easily made, and capable of being made up in bunting. It should be readily distinguished at a distance, the colors well contrasted and durable, effective and handsome. That which the Committee submitted combined these requisites. It is entirely different from any national flag. The three colors of which it is composed, red, white and blue, are true republican colors. In heraldry, they are emblematic of the three great virtues of Valor, Purity, and Truth.

One of the four was the flag that was adopted, the first flag of the Confederacy: a field of three horizontal bars or stripes, red, white, and red, with blue union and stars. Another of the four was a red field with a blue ring or circle in the center. Another was composed of a number of horizontal stripes, of red and blue (none white), with blue union and stars like the first. The fourth was a saltire, as it is called in heraldry, the same as a St. Andrew's cross of blue, with white margin, or border, on a red field with white stars, equal to the number of States, on the cross. Now the only difference between this and the Confederate battle-flag is that the latter was made square, for greater lightness and portability, while the one submitted to Congress was, of course, of the usual proportion of a flag, i. e., oblong.

The first national flag of the Confederacy, adopted by Congress on March 4,1861, had, like the United States emblem, the colors, red, white, and blue, white stars on the blue ground of its canton, and the field was composed of red and white horizontal stripes, but there were protests against the word " stripes," as applied to the broad bars of this flag, and it became known as the "Stars and Bars." After the adoption of the battle flag for the army, the Stars and Bars continued to be worn by fortresses and hoisted on vessels, and remained the emblem of the Confederacy until May 1,1863, when a new national design was adopted by Congress, and even after that the Stars and Bars was more or less in use until the close of the war. This flag had only seven stars, as at that time there were only seven States, Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana, in the Confederacy.

The flag of the Marshall House, Alexandria, Virginia, which was hauled down by Colonel Ellsworth, was made for James Jackson, the proprietor of the hotel, by Mrs. Libby Ann Padgett, widow of John Padgett, Senior, a sail-maker and flag-maker of Alexandria for many years. Promptly upon the secession of Virginia Mr. Jackson hoisted this flag upon the top of the Marshall House. The hauling down of the flag on the 24th of May by Colonel Ellsworth of the New York Zouave Regiment, which led to his death and that of Mr. Jackson, created great excitement, and the city was immediately placed under martial law.

The Jackson flag was made of good sail-maker's bunting, twenty-five feet in length by about ten feet in width. Two red stripes with a white stripe between, thirteen white stars in a blue field, twelve stars being in a circle, with the thirteenth, a large star, in the centre. The thirteenth star, larger in size, was called the 'Virginia' Star, because of several reasons, — perhaps because some feared that the State would not join the South, unless more and more urged to do so.

The Stars and Bars encountered significant practical difficulties almost immediately upon its adoption, particularly in military contexts where clear identification proved essential. On the battlefield, especially at a distance or in smoky conditions created by black powder weapons, the Stars and Bars proved nearly indistinguishable from the Union's Stars and Stripes, leading to dangerous confusion during engagements. The First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 demonstrated this problem acutely when Confederate and Union forces struggled to identify friend from foe amid the chaos of combat, with some Confederate units nearly fired upon by their own artillery. This battlefield confusion created an urgent need for a more distinctive battle flag, leading Confederate military commanders to adopt alternative designs for field use even as the Stars and Bars remained the official national flag. The flag's aesthetic qualities also drew criticism from some quarters, with detractors arguing that its similarity to the Union flag betrayed insufficient symbolic break from the United States.

The Second National Flag: "Stainless Banner" (1863-1865)

A number of designs were suggested for a new national emblem. One proposed device was a phoenix, rising from a bed of flame, with the motto, 'We rise again,' typical of the death of the old and the resurrection of the new union. Another proposed flag had a red field charged with a white St. Andrew's cross, supporting in its centre a blue shield blazoned with a single yellow star. Still another was formed of three horizontal bars, red, white, red, having a double blue square or an eight-pointed star in the centre, extending half-way across the red bars, blazoned with eight white stars, arranged in a circle. Another suggested flag was half blue and white, diagonally divided next the luff, and the outer half, or fly, a red perpendicular bar.

The editor of the Savannah (Georgia) Morning News, suggested a white flag with the battle flag for its canton. His editorial was republished with approval by the Richmond papers, about the time the vote was taken in the House on the flag, but the Senate had adopted a flag with a white field bearing a broad blue bar in its centre. The Senate bill was amended, and a plain white field with the battle flag for a canton - commonly known as the "Stainless Banner" - was adopted. This flag was established as the national standard of the Southern Confederacy by act of Congress, approved May 1, 1863. The law which established the second national emblem provided for a flag with the length twice its width, but as that would be an absurdity, this provision was disregarded and the flag was correctly proportioned by having the width two-thirds of its length.

Responding to widespread dissatisfaction with the Stars and Bars and recognizing the popularity of the Army of Northern Virginia's battle flag, the Confederate Congress adopted a new national flag on May 1, 1863. This second national flag, dubbed the "Stainless Banner" by the Southern press, featured the square battle flag design in the canton with the remainder of the flag consisting of a pure white field. The design's creator, William T. Thompson, explicitly characterized the white field as representing white supremacy, writing in the Daily Morning News that it was "the white man's flag" and that its color symbolized the racial ideology underlying the Confederate cause. This flag measured twice as long as it was wide, creating a banner dominated by its expansive white field with the familiar red, white, and blue battle flag pattern confined to the upper corner nearest the flagpole.

Despite initial enthusiasm for the Stainless Banner's incorporation of the beloved battle flag design, practical problems emerged with its use. The flag's large white field caused it to resemble a flag of truce or surrender, particularly when hanging limp in still air or when soiled by weather and use, which made the colored canton less visible. This created potential for confusion on the battlefield, though perhaps less dangerous than the issues that had plagued the Stars and Bars. Additionally, the flag proved less visually striking than either its predecessor or the battle flag alone, leading to mixed reception among both military forces and civilians. The Stainless Banner served as the Confederate national flag for nearly two years during the middle period of the war, flying over Confederate government buildings and serving as the official symbol of the Confederate States during some of the conflict's most intense campaigns, including the Gettysburg Campaign of 1863 and the Overland Campaign of 1864.

The Third National Flag: "Blood-Stained Banner" (1865)

The second national flag was objected to, because, at a distance, it closely resembled the English white ensign, and another objection was, that when hanging dead against the staff, the white obscuring the canton, it looked like a flag of truce. The preponderance of the white was also objected to, as it had been ascertained by practical use in the army and navy that the flag was very easily soiled. These objections and the incorrect proportions of the flag were accepted as sufficient reasons for an amendment to the law, which alteration was ultimately made.

In the final months of the Confederacy's existence, the Confederate Congress adopted a third and final national flag on March 4, 1865, just weeks before the collapse of Confederate resistance. This design addressed the Stainless Banner's resemblance to a surrender flag by adding a vertical red bar along the flag's fly end, creating what became known as the "Blood-Stained Banner." The modification maintained the battle flag canton and white field of the Stainless Banner while adding the red stripe to provide additional color and reduce the white dominance that had proven problematic. However, the timing of this adoption meant that very few of these flags were actually manufactured or displayed before the Confederacy's dissolution following Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, and the subsequent surrenders of other Confederate armies over the following weeks.

The Third Flag - the “Blood-Stained Banner” - was designed by Major Arthur L. Rogers, Confederate States Artillery. His design reduced the length of the flag and added a broad, red, perpendicular stripe to the fly or outer extremity of the flag. The flag was adopted by the Congress of the Confederate States on March 4, 1865. The width, two-thirds of its length ; with the union, - now used as a battle flag, - to be in width three-fifths of the width of the flag, and so proportioned as to leave the length of the field on the side of the union twice the width below it; to have a ground of red, and a broad blue saltire thereon, bordered with white and emblazoned with mullets or five-pointed stars, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States. The field to be white, except the outer half from the union, which shall he a red bar, extending the width of the flag.

This flag was adopted only a few weeks before the surrender of Lee’s army, a red bar was added to the end of this flag; but the war closed so soon after this that this flag was scarcely, if ever, used in battle. This flag was scarcely used, but as the recognized Confederate national flag it was adopted by the United Sons of Confederate Veterans as their emblem.

The Blood-Stained Banner's brief official existence meant it had minimal impact on contemporary Confederate identity and even less on subsequent memory and symbolism of the Confederacy. Most Confederate military units and government facilities continued using the Stainless Banner or various battle flags until the war's end, and the third national flag never achieved wide recognition or emotional resonance among either contemporaries or later generations. The flag represents perhaps the most obscure of the official Confederate national flags, known primarily to specialists in Civil War history and vexillology rather than enjoying broader cultural recognition. Its adoption in the Confederacy's final desperate weeks symbolized a government attempting to maintain normal governmental functions even as its military and political position collapsed, though this symbolic meaning receives less attention than the flag's technical modifications to its predecessor design.

Confederate Battle Flags

The battlefield confusion created by the Stars and Bars prompted Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard and other military leaders to advocate for a distinct battle flag that would be immediately recognizable under combat conditions. At the battle of Manassas, on the 21st of July, 1861, it was found difficult to distinguish the 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 commanders resolved then to have ours changed if possible, or to adopt 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 flag of his opponent.

General Beauregard then designed another flag to be used on the battlefield, and General Joseph E. Johnston adopted it. This flag was simply the square of red with a cross of blue, and the thirteen seceding states in stars upon it. This was not used until after the first battle of Manassas. The first of these flags were made by the three Misses Carey of Baltimore.

Many designs were presented, and they gave the preference to the one offered by Col. J. B. Walton, commanding the Washington Artillery which corresponded closely to one recommended by Col. Miles to Congress as our first National flag. Both were oblong ; the field was red ; the bars blue, and the stars white ; but Col. Walton's had the Latin cross, and Col. Miles's the St. Andrew's, which removed the objection that many soldiers might have to fight under the former symbol. Gen. Johnston preferred a square flag, to render it more convenient to cany; and it was finally adopted, in September, 1861, the well known 'battle flag' of the Army of the Potomac (as it was first called), to whirrh soldiers became so devoted.

The Army of Northern Virginia adopted a square battle flag in late 1861 featuring a blue saltire, or diagonal cross, emblazoned with white stars on a red field. This design, often attributed to William Porcher Miles who had initially proposed it as a national flag, proved highly effective in distinguishing Confederate units from Union forces during battle. The blue cross with thirteen white stars represented the Confederate states and avoided the confusion inherent in the Stars and Bars design. Different Confederate armies adopted variations of this basic pattern, with the Army of Tennessee and other western commands using rectangular versions of similar design, though the square version carried by the Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee became the most iconic due to that army's prominence in major Eastern Theater campaigns.

Apart from the beauty of the Confederate battle flag, it possessed other distinguishing qualities of a practical nature. Its size and shape made it easy of carriage, and prevented its being torn by the soldiers' bayonets. It could also be seen at a great distance, to quote an expression used by General Beauregard, in allusion: 'Through trees it fluttered like a red-bird in the sunlight.' Its use, upon the system adopted of providing every regiment with one of these flags, enabled the tide of battle to be watched with thorough precision and facility, thus contributing no little to the celerity of military movements.

Confederates usually carried two primary flags per regiment. They would have carried their national flag (Stars and Bars or the variants that followed) as well as a "battle flag." Battle flags and regimental flags are basically the same thing. These flags were limitless in design and showed motifs of states rights, liberty, religious symbols like crosses, full moons, crescent moons, letters and many other icons and symbols. The popular "Confederate battle flag" many today associate with the South and the Confederacy is the St. Andrews Cross flag. Some incorrectly assume that the name "Stars & Bars" refers to the two diagonally opposing bars of the Sothern Cross, with its contingent of 13 stars. This sometimes red or (crimson) colored flag bearing a blue X bordered in white with 13 white stars is the most popular. However, these St. Andrews flags also came in a host of different sizes and colors as well including blue.

The well known 'Battle flag of the Army of the Potomac,' which became, after having been consecrated by many a hard fought battle, the ' Union' of the second and third Confederate National flags. Following the adoption of the "Southern Cross" as a battle flag, the need of a national standard to take the place of the Stars and Bars was discussed from time to time in the Confederate Congress and by the Southern publications, but more than a year and a half elapsed before the substitution was effected.

A jack is a small flag flown at the bow of a ship. It is not flown while the ship is at sea, but only when at port, or while entering or leaving a port. The staff from which a jack is flown is often removed when the ship is underway. It is said that this was to keep it clear of the forward field of fire in combat.

The navy jack of the Southern Confederacy, used after May 1, 1863, had an oblong red field, with a blue St. Andrew's cross bordered by white and having three stars on each arm and one at the intersection. It was merely the square canton of the second flag of the Confederacy elongated, so that its length was one and a half times its width. The battle flag of the Confederacy during the same period was like this navy jack, except that it was square, and all four of its sides were bordered by a white stripe one and a half inches wide. The battle flag carried by the infantry was forty-eight inches square, that by the artillery thirty-six inches, and that by the cavalry thirty inches square.

After taking command of Confederate forces of the west in 1864, General Joseph Johnston modified the square Army of Virginia Battle flag for his Army of Tennessee, changing it to a rectangular shape similar to the Confederate Navy Jack. The attempt was met with disfavor by western commands who had fought under different flags earlier in the war. However, this rectangular flag later became the official flag of the United Confederate Veterans after the war, and today is mistakenly accepted as the "Confederate Flag."

The battle flag's design underwent some variations in implementation across different Confederate commands and time periods. While the Army of Northern Virginia's square battle flag measured approximately four feet per side, other armies used rectangular versions with different proportions. The Army of Tennessee initially used a rectangular version with slightly different star arrangements before standardizing its design. Naval forces employed yet another variant incorporating the battle flag pattern into a rectangular naval jack. These battle flags became deeply associated with Confederate military prowess and sacrifice, particularly as carried by units that achieved legendary status such as the Army of Northern Virginia's infantry divisions and the cavalry commands that operated across multiple theaters. The flags served not only as practical military tools for unit identification and rallying points but also as powerful symbols of Confederate military identity that soldiers often defended at great personal risk, with color bearers suffering disproportionately high casualty rates.

Post-War Legacy and Symbolism

Following the Confederate surrender and the end of the Civil War in 1865, Confederate flags initially receded from prominent public display during the Reconstruction era, though they remained important to Confederate veterans' organizations and memorial activities. The various Confederate flags, particularly the battle flag design, experienced a significant resurgence during the early twentieth century as the United Daughters of the Confederacy and other organizations promoted the Lost Cause narrative of the Civil War. This interpretation downplayed slavery's central role in Confederate secession while emphasizing states' rights, Southern honor, and military valor. The battle flag specifically became a prominent symbol during this period, incorporated into state flags, displayed at Confederate memorial dedications, and used by veterans' groups, though its use remained primarily confined to contexts related to Civil War commemoration and Southern heritage.

The battle flag's symbolism underwent dramatic expansion during the mid-twentieth century in direct response to the Civil Rights Movement, when it was adopted by segregationists and opponents of racial integration as a symbol of resistance to federal civil rights enforcement. Southern state governments incorporated Confederate imagery into official symbols during this period, with Georgia adding the battle flag to its state flag in 1956 and South Carolina raising the battle flag over its capitol in 1961, actions explicitly connected to opposition to desegregation efforts. This association with segregationist resistance fundamentally altered the flag's public meaning for many Americans, transforming it from a symbol primarily associated with historical commemoration to one actively employed in contemporary political struggles over racial equality. The battle flag became a common sight at rallies opposing integration, featured prominently in segregationist political campaigns, and was adopted by various organizations advocating white supremacy, cementing its association with racial ideology in the minds of civil rights advocates and many Americans.

Contemporary debates over Confederate flag display reflect these complex and contested historical layers, with supporters arguing the flags represent heritage, regional identity, and commemoration of Confederate soldiers' sacrifice, while opponents contend they symbolize slavery, racial oppression, and ongoing racism. The battle flag in particular has generated intense controversy regarding its display on government property, its incorporation into state flags and official symbols, and its appearance at public events. Major turning points included South Carolina's removal of the battle flag from its capitol grounds in 2015 following a racist massacre at a historic Black church in Charleston, and a broader reconsideration of Confederate symbolism following nationwide protests over racial justice in 2020. Various institutions, retailers, and organizations have restricted or banned Confederate flag display, while some Southern states have modified flags that incorporated Confederate imagery, though these actions remain contentious. The flags' meaning continues to evolve as American society grapples with questions of historical memory, racial justice, and appropriate ways to acknowledge difficult aspects of the nation's past.

Distinguishing the Various Flags

Understanding Confederate flag history requires carefully distinguishing between the different designs and their respective uses, as confusion between these flags remains common in contemporary discussions. The "Confederate flag" most recognizable today and most frequently controversial is actually the square battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia, which never served as the Confederacy's official national flag, though it was incorporated into the canton of the second and third national flags. The three official national flags, the Stars and Bars, Stainless Banner, and Blood-Stained Banner, are often less recognized by the general public despite their official status. The rectangular version of the battle flag pattern, often seen in modern display, more closely resembles the naval jack and the battle flags of western Confederate armies than the square version carried by Lee's army, though all these variants share the distinctive saltire design that has become synonymous with Confederate symbolism. This distinction between battle flags and national flags, and between the various patterns and proportions of the battle flag design itself, frequently becomes blurred in public discourse despite representing important historical and symbolic differences.