Posted on 06/21/2005 2:42:35 PM PDT by CurlyBill
The Confederate Battle Flag has been under the gun of groups that tend to lead people in the wrong way to its inception. These groups, which place forth, the ideas that the flag represents hate and slavery cannot produce a single document to support these ridiculous claims. In fact all the documents found show the contrary to be true. I must point out that the Confederate Battle Flag never flew as a State Flag since its sole purpose was to distinguish the two armies from each other. It has become the most misunderstood and abused symbol in our great nation.
These groups that claim the Confederate Battle Flag to be a flag aligned with such “HATE” groups as the KKK, Neo Nazis, Skin Heads, and others really do not know what they are talking about. To them they can only remember what happened back in the 50’s and 60’s. They cannot fathom the facts when presented about the truth of the flag as it was born in 1861. Many people call the Confederate Battle Flag the “Stars and Bars”. The Stars and Bars came to be on March 4, 1861 when the Committee on a Proper Flag for the Confederate States of America wrote;
“That the flag of the Confederate States of America shall consist of a red field with a white space extending horizontally through the center, and equal in width to one-third the width of the flag. The red space above and below to be the same width as the white. The union blue extending down through the white space and stopping at the lower red space. In the center of the union a circle of white stars, corresponding in number with the States in the Confederacy.”
This can be found in the Journal of the Congress of the Confederate States of America, 1861-1865. Volume 1(Washington: Government Printing Office, 1905) pp.101-102. The story goes that the flag was flown over the capitol building in Montgomery, Alabama. It was raised up the staff by the granddaughter of John Tyler, the 10th President of the United States, Miss L.C. Tyler. This was presented by Ben LeBree ed., The Confederate Soldier in the Civil War, 1861-1865(Louisville: The Courier-Journal Job Printing Company, 1895) p.2 As can be seen, nowhere in this description of the “Stars and Bars” is there any mention of it being done for the protection of slavery or hate. As a matter of fact, none of the flags of the Confederacy were ever described in their placement to represent anything other than the Confederate States of America. And the Stars and Bars represented the flag of the Confederacy; the Confederate Battle flag was used extensively in the Battles.
The Confederate Battle Flag which has stirred so much controversy was designed by General P.G.T. Beauregard, who was born and raised in the Parish of St. Bernard, Louisiana, just over 12 miles from New Orleans. The Confederate Battle Flag was conceived AFTER, (I emphasize “after” because in many pictures of the battles, the Battle flag is shown when it was not even used.) the battle of First Bull Run (Manassas). It was during the battle that General Beauregard realized that a “battle” flag was needed. The General was expecting troops to come into battle from the right; instead they came in from the left. He could not distinguish the flag of the troops coming in from the left through the dust and smoke. Just before he was about to send a column to attack the advancing troops, a wind blew and unfurled the flag, he then noticed it was the First National Flag and it was his reinforcements he was waiting for. It was then that General Beauregard decided that a distinct flag was needed during the battles yet to come so as not to be confused again. General Beauregard’s design was a blue field, crossed red bars and gold stars. It was only after much discussion that it was changed into what it is today, a red field crossed blue bars with white stars.
The first flag of this design was called the Battle Flag of the Army of the Potomac. The flag was approved in September of 1861 by commanding General Joseph E. Johnston. The pattern was then submitted to and approved by the War Department. From that point through out the war the Battle Flag was carried by Confederate troops.
This can be found in Materials Relating to Flags, (New Orleans: Tulane University Special Collections), Louisiana Historical Association Collection. In United Confederate Veterans, The Flags of the Confederate States of America (Baltimore:A. Hoen & Co.1907) it is described as follows; “The Battle flag is square, with a Greek Cross of blue, edged with white, with thirteen equal five-pointed stars, upon a red field; with the whole banner bordered in white. The Infantry, Artillery, and Cavalry all used the Battle Flag, but in different sizes. Infantry being 48 inches square; Artillery 36 inches square and the Cavalry 30 inches square. The proportions of the Infantry flag are: 48 in. by 48 in. (exclusive of the border); the blue arms of the cross, 7.5 in. wide; the white border around the flag proper 1.5 in. wide. Total outside measurement is 51 in. square. The stars are five-pointed, inscribed within a circle 6 in. in diameter, and are uniform in size. There should be 5 eyelet holes in the hoist next to the staff. The Artillery and Cavalry flags are designed upon the same proportions, but the overall measurements are reduced.”
As can be seen by this description, nowhere in any of the designs or ideas is there any mention of slavery or hate. The flag design was done to keep the loss of lives down and as a rallying point that could be distinguished during battle. The Sons of Confederate Veterans adopted the Confederate Battle Flag as part of their logo in 1896, long before any “hate” group began to abuse the flag. They did this to honor all the men who died while fighting behind the Confederate Battle Flag. To these men and women, this is a tribute to their ancestors. They, like many others, do not like the wrongful abuse of the Confederate battle Flag by the “hate” groups that use it to promote their wrongful ideas.
It wasn’t until the late 1950’s and 1960’s that the Confederate Battle Flag was used by the KKK and other “hate” groups. Those that use the flag to honor their ancestors do not promote the hate and stupid ideas that those who abuse it do. They have many blacks that also respect the flag due to the fact that their ancestors served with the Confederate Army. The Confederate Battle Flag was designed to save lives in July of 1861; it was approved for use in September of 1861. What is brought forth when a person or group condemns the Confederate Battle Flag is the total ignorance of the history behind the flag and the facts, which surround it. It is these misunderstood facts, which have tempered an otherwise honorable flag into a flag of controversy by those who have been fed this misinformation and ignorance of facts about the flag.
In an opinion in the Houston Chronicle, Jerry Patterson puts forth a very good argument about the abuse of symbols. Mr. Patterson stated; “Since the KKK has adopted the cross for use in its burnings, should churches across the country remove this symbol of Christianity from all places of worship? Should we not begin to tear down monuments to the Buffalo Soldiers (Black U.S. Cavalry troops of the late 1800’s), since those soldiers were an integral part of a war that subjugated and enslaved a whole race of people, the American Plains Indians?”
In this Mr. Patterson brings forth the question of where do we stop the displacement of history for the sole purpose of being “politically correct”? Also, this shows that if we can tolerate these instances whether right or wrong, why can we not tolerate the Confederate battle Flag? Not only has the Confederate Battle Flag been wrongly and falsely accused of being racist, but recently even pictures of Southern generals have been assailed for just being Southern. These actions are reminiscent of Stalin and Hitler as they did the same thing to histories that they did not want. The Confederate Battle Flag is considered as a flag of hate and slavery, albeit wrongly, yet it flew for only four years.
The one flag that flew the longest and was actually the founder of slavery was the British Flag. The British Flag flew over slavery for 167 years before the United States became the United States. Under the United States flag slavery grew for 89 years. Neither of these flags is hated, as much as the Confederate Battle Flag, why is this? One reason is that through misinformation and prejudice, it has been cast as such.
Former President of the Asheville, North Carolina Branch of the NAACP has stated without restriction,
“Protection of Confederate symbols is THE civil rights issue of the new millennium, and this debate is long overdue. We must address this issue with peaceful, non-violent means like debate before agitation over the flag gets out of hand.”
Mr. Edgerton is a black man and a life member of the NAACP. His views are very different from the majority of the NAACP membership but he is proud to defend the Confederate Battle Flag. Look through any documentation that you can find and I am very sure that no one will ever find a document, which clearly states that, the Confederate battle Flag was designed specifically for the purpose of slavery and hate. Those who harbor these ideas are ignorant of the FACTS as the FACTS are written. The people who promote this ill-founded idea do so not to heal, but to obtain money for their cause. If they could find a better way to raise money, they would not worry about the Confederate Battle Flag.
To those groups of people who have brainwashed the masses to thinking that the Confederate Battle Flag was designed or even represents slavery and hate, I say unto you, “Let you be the first to condemn me and I shall show you how wrong you are with documented FACTS. Facts that you cannot accept because they are so very true. Many of these same groups make statements like; “We do not accept or encourage stereotyping of anyone.” Yet in this arena, they are the first to STEREO TYPE the Confederate Battle Flag.
The Confederate Battle Flag is an honorable symbol of those many men who died fighting for what they believed in. They came from every walk of life and from every culture in the North and South. Not to honor them with the Confederate Battle Flag would be like not even acknowledging that the War for Southern Independence ever happened. This should never happen. Many people who have been misled and misinformed have the idea that the Confederate Battle Flag was raised in the early 1960’s due to the civil rights movement. This is a misconception, which now will be looked at through the use of documents and facts.
Early in 1956 the Southern states began planning on how to observe the 100th anniversary of the “War for Southern Independence” from hereon known as the “Civil War”. Some of these states decided to use the flag in their state flag or to raise it below the United States flag. Others decided to obtain a proclamation to observe the 100th anniversary of the Civil War.
A joint resolution was placed upon the floor of both houses of Congress to study and coordinate the observance of the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. Both houses passed the resolution on September 7, 1957 to establish the Civil War Centennial Commission to coordinate the observance.
Many people have ignored these facts as documented in the Congressional records. Some have gone so far as to place a fictional idea that the Confederate Battle Flag was raised in defiance of the civil rights movement. Maybe the civil rights movement actually used the Centennial to promote their activities. These very same people also presented the fictional idea that the South had invented segregation when in fact segregation was a Federal Law established by U.S. Congress as a result of the “Jim Crow” case. This was nothing more than an extension of reconstruction.
Not one single person that says the Confederate Battle Flag was used in defiance of the civil rights activities will ever admit that it was done as an observance of the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. To admit this fact would be to admit that they are wrong in assuming otherwise. Their information and stories are blown apart by the facts and documents that prove what they have said about this wrong.
On December 6, 1960, a little more than three years after the first indication of an attempt to organize an observance by Congress, President Dwight D. Eisenhower did something that has been overlooked when discussion of the Confederate Battle Flag comes up. It was on this day that President Eisenhower issued a proclamation declaring observance of the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. It was labeled Civil War Proclamation No. 3882. In this proclamation, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, “…invited all of the people of our country to take a direct and active part in the Centennial of the Civil War.”
This took effect on December 6, 1960, just as the civil rights activities were starting, coincidence or perfect planning? The proclamation and observance originated in late 1956. It was done to observe and honor those who fought on both sides and to better understand what had happened. In the South it was a chance to raise the Confederate Battle Flag, not in defiance of the civil rights movement, but to honor the men and women who died fighting under the flag for what they believed.
By bringing the civil rights into question, many reflected upon slavery and these same people also condemned and planted the seed that the South fought to preserve slavery. The civil rights activities also drew attention away from the Presidential Proclamation to observe the centennial of the Civil War. All these activities came together at the same time. President Eisenhower even stated that we should recognize the spirit of America after such a crucial war. President Eisenhower asked Federal, state, and local officials to carry out their own appropriate observance of the Centennial during the years of 1961 to 1965.
With these facts so presented, it becomes clear that the Confederate Battle Flag was raised in observance of the Presidential Proclamation to observe the Civil War not to fight and defy the civil rights movement. It is amazing how the truth can be totally forgotten and covered up just to perpetuate what has now become “Political Correctness.” How can we as a people stand by and allow our history to be dictated by any group for the sake of an idea? Our country was not formed to fall into this madness of Political Correctness. The Confederate Battle Flag is just as its name implies, a BATTLE flag, used to rally the troops of the South and distinguish the men fighting nothing more. To state that it represents slavery and hate shows the total ignorance and stupidity of those making the statement.
The Confederate Battle Flag has come under tremendous action in the last ten years. Some of those actions to replace the flag from sight have the same earmarks as the beginnings of the Nazi era. The attacks upon the Battle Flag have come from only a few groups who make their money from certain actions they take. It comes as no surprise that these same groups have come to be known affiliates to or with people that have communistic ideals and such ideals cannot continue with acts of freedom and expression that are associated with the Confederate battle Flag.
It is a shame that our once great country has fallen down to accept the actions of the few even over the voice of the majority. In all too many cases, the few have yelled so loud that they get what they want even when the majority feels otherwise. Now our country makes decisions based upon who is offended rather than what was once based upon Constitutional rights. Germany was much the same way in the late 30’s and early 40’s.
Great article. Great points. Note: someone placed the word Stars & Bars for this article when the fact of the matter is that the Confederate First National Flag was the Stars & Bars. After all it actually had bars while the Confederate Battle Flag does not have bars as it was a saltire. No wonder so many people do not know the truth when they can not even get the names of the various flags right.
Great article. Great points. Note: someone placed the word Stars & Bars for this article when the fact of the matter is that the Confederate First National Flag was the Stars & Bars. Not the Confederate Battle Flag. After all it actually had bars while the Confederate Battle Flag does not have bars as it was a saltire. No wonder so many people do not know the truth when they can not even get the names of the various flags right.
The Confederate Battle Flag was known as the Southern Cross not the Stars & Bars. Northerners seem to confuse the name of the Confederate First National Flag with the Confederate Battle Flag for some reason.
The reason that the flag represents racism is that it is held up by racists as a symbol of the slavery of blacks by whites. It expresses the wish that the Confederates won the war, it is an expression of allegiance to their cause.
It wasn’t until the late 1950’s and 1960’s that the Confederate Battle Flag was used by the KKK and other “hate” groups. Those that use the flag to honor their ancestors do not promote the hate and stupid ideas that those who abuse it do
That's no excuse. There are other ways to honor your ancestors, but that flag is itself a manifestation of stupid ideas, and to say that those stupid ideas can be "abused" is absurd, since they are inherently abusive in and of themselves. You should be ashamed if your ancestors served in the Confederate Army.
The one flag that flew the longest and was actually the founder of slavery was the British Flag.
B.S. slavery was not "founded" by the British, in fact, slavery preceeded the era that they even got involved in it. I think that the Confederate flag, through the ridiculous tradition of honoring Confederate ancestors, as Confederates, has become a symbol of the South. You might be one of those people who is not racist, but was brought up to embrace that racist symbol. Al Qaeda dies fighting for what they believe in, the Nazis did too. That does not excuse them from being a part of evil.
Abraham Lincoln was the abolitionist's candidate for president. In his June 16, 1858 speech, he strongly argued that a nation could not exist "half slave and half free." Then in July 10, 1858, he addressed an audience at the Tremont Hotel in Chicago.
...but when they look through that old Declaration of Independence they find that those old men say that "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," and then they feel that that moral sentiment taught in that day evidences their relation to those men, that it is the father of all moral principle in them, and that they have a right to claim it as though they were blood of the blood, and flesh of the flesh of the men who wrote that Declaration, and so they are. That is the electric cord in that Declaration that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together, that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world.These are not the words and sentiments of a man that is prepared to preserve slavery permanantly. These are the words and sentiments of an American giant whose shoes you would not be fit to shine.
Now, sirs, for the purpose of squaring things with this idea of "don't care if slavery is voted up or voted down" [Douglas's "popular sovereignty" position on the extension of slavery to the territories], for sustaining the Dred Scott decision, for holding that the Declaration of Independence did not mean anything at all, we have Judge Douglas giving his exposition of what the Declaration of Independence means, and we have him saying that the people of America are equal to the people of England. According to his construction, you Germans are not connected with it.
...What are these arguments? They are the arguments that kings have made for enslaving the people in all ages of the world. You will find that all the arguments in favor of king-craft were of this class; they always bestrode the necks of the people, not that they wanted to do it, but because the people were better off for being ridden. That is their argument, and this argument of the Judge is the same old serpent that says you work and I eat, you toil and I will enjoy the fruits of it. Turn in whatever way you will---whether it come from the mouth of a King, an excuse for enslaving the people of his country, or from the mouth of men of one race as a reason for enslaving the men of another race, it is all the same old serpent, and I hold if that course of argumentation that is made for the purpose of convincing the public mind that we should not care about this, should be granted, it does not stop with the negro. I should like to know if taking this old Declaration of Independence, which declares that all men are equal upon principle and making exceptions to it where will it stop. If one man says it does not mean a negro, why not another say it does not mean some other man? If that declaration is not the truth, let us get the Statute book, in which we find it and tear it out! Who is so bold as to do it!
Source, shoeshine boy?
Someone pinged me to this thread. That is why I am just now finding your post. Your are right. The South stood up for a small and undemanding central government. When it lost that fight the country became what it is today: a menace to personal freedom.
You will note that there are a number of southron supporters that insist of calling us 'boy'. They must think that all Lincoln supporters are African-American.
Note that he stated we were not fit to shine Mr. Lincoln's shoes, implying that he was.
The 'boy' part was your own idea, huh? How original.
lincoln, himself, said IN WRITING that he was WILLING to work for & sign an amendment to the CONSTITUTION to PROTECT slavery "where it now exists in perpetuity".
lincoln was ONLY a cheap,scheming, shyster lawyer & power-hungry politician, who was in no way different or more honorable than wee willie klintoon.
they were AMORAL TWINS, separated by 150+ years. EITHER/both would do ANYTHING to "get ahead". ANYTHING!
free dixie,sw
the MAIN REASON, that we fought a NEEDLESS, 4-year, bloody war, was that lincoln & his coven of FOOLS & CROOKS weren't smart enough to let the south go in PEACE & trade with the new republic.
free dixie,sw
latecomers are welcome at this party.
free dixie,sw
And John Quincy Adams, who was not as strongly opposed to the institution of slavery as President Lincoln, in 1820 wrote:
If the dissolution of the Union should result from the slave question, it is as obvious as anything that can be foreseen of futurity that it must shortly afterwards by followed by the universal emancipation of the slaves. ... Slavery is the great and foul stain upon the North American Union, and it is a contemplation worthy of the most exalted soul whether its total abolition is or is not practicable; if practicable, by what it may be effected, and if a choice of means be within the scope of the object, what means would accomplish it at the smallest cost of human suffering. A dissolution, at least temporary, of the Union, as now constituted, would be certainly necessary, and the dissolution must be upon a point involving the question of slavery and no other. The Union might then be reorganized on the fundamental principle of emancipation. This object is vast in its compass, awful in its prospects, sublime and beautiful in its issue. A life devoted to it would be nobly spent or sacrificed.The continuation of slavery wasn't enough for the Confederate cretins, they wished to expand the institution. How did one of their anti-Lincoln defenders/apologists, Stephen Douglas, put it on July 9, 1858? Oh yes, "I am free to say to you that in my opinion this government of ours is founded on the white basis. It was made by the white man, for the benefit of the white man, to be administered by white man, in such manner as they should determine." President Lincoln wasn't interested in "protecting" slavery, he was interested in advancing the cause of liberty. And as for a cheap and unnecessary war, tell that to America's founders! If we're going by your "standards."
The answer to your question is that, even without the slavery issue, there would have been war. The expansion of slavery was one of many of the issues in which the Southern States felt the central government had overstepped its bounds and broken its contract with the people.
A more accurate statement would be: "If the war were about slavery alone it would not have been fought since Lincoln was willing to back a permanent form of the insitution."
I disagree with your speculation, you can't wipe away the sinful cause of the Confederates with "if there hadn't been slavery" because they fought to defend the institution. Sometimes the fight between good and evil actually manifests itself physically.
All the reasons that the ConfedeRATS made up for secession were attempts to excuse and cover up their hideous disregard and abuse of the freedom of others, while incredibly claiming to be fighting for freedom themselves!
You couldn't be more wrong. Except for a few New England abolitionists, no one, NO ONE in the North was fighting against slavery.
You could say the same of America's Founders. Sometimes it takes great men to achieve great things.
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