The Battle Flag of the Confederacy was originally designed
to alleviate the confusion the “Stars and Bars”(bearing
strong resemblance to the Stars and Stripes) had caused on
the battlefield. To remedy this, General Beauregard
used the design of Colonel William Porcher Miles for his
forces. The flag features a Cross of St Andrew and
13 stars representing the 13 states to have seceded and joined
the Confederacy, though Kentucky and Missouri were officially
neutral. It was flown, in a few variations, by the
armies of the South as well as its navy. The emblem
proved so popular it soon became a part of the Confederacy’s
national flag, and would be used until its fall. Known
as the “Southern Cross”, it remains a powerful
symbol of the South, and is generally considered the main
emblem of the Confederacy. |