The Stars and Bars was the first official flag of the Confederate States of America, adopted in 1861. It featured seven white stars on a blue box and alternating red and white stripes. Its designer is disputed. It was replaced in 1863 due to confusion with the US flag and several battle flags were used during the Civil War. The Navy Jack is the most recognizable Confederate flag.
The Stars and Bars was the first official flag for the Confederate States of America. Formally adopted in March 1861, the flag remained in use until May 1863. Many people are unfamiliar with the stars and bars and tend to think of the Confederate battle flag or Navy flag as the official flag for the Confederacy. The Stars and Bars first appeared at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, North Carolina in 1861.
The design for the stars and bars was somewhat similar to that of the official Union Flag for the United States. The same basic color scheme of red, white, and blue was used for the stars and bars. A blue boxed area has appeared in the upper left corner of the drawing. Included in the blue area were seven white stars, representing the original seven states that seceded from the United States to form the basis of the Confederacy. The remainder of the flag was devoted to alternating broad stripes in red and white. Later versions of the official flag expanded the number of stars to thirteen.
While the adoption of the stars and bars as the official flag for the Confederacy is documented in the records of the Provisional Confederate Congress, there is some question as to who actually designed the original flag. Many sources claim that Nicola Marschall created the original project. Marschall was a noted Prussian artist of the time who is also credited with the basic design for the Austrian flag. However, other sources indicate that the design was an invention of Orrin Randolph Smith of Henderson, North Carolina. Two key points that are noted by Marschall’s supporters as a designer are that he was well known for his work with flags and was also located in Alabama, not far from the first capital of the Confederacy at Montgomery.
One drawback to the stars and bars was that the Confederate flag was very similar in design to the official battle flag of the United States. This often led to some confusion on the battlefield. In 1863, the original design was withdrawn and a new official flag was adopted. Additionally, several Confederate battle flags came into common use that were markedly different from U.S. battle flags. Of all the Confederate flags used during the Civil War, the Navy Jack is the one most easily recognized by most people.
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