The Confederate First National Flag CSA was the “Stars and Bars” which served until May 1st, 1863. This flag had a blue field with white stars representing the first seven states to secede from the Union (South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas). Two additional stars were added after Virginia and Arkansas seceded bringing the total to 13 star flags.
Following the fiasco at the first battle of Manassas, General Beauregard and other Confederate officers determined that a new national flag was needed. This led to the formation of a Provisional Committee on Flag and Seal headed by South Carolina Congressman William Porcher Miles. Miles submitted several designs to the committee but none were adopted.
Delving into the History of the Confederate First National Flag CSA: Origins and Significance
One of his proposals was based on the state flag of South Carolina which had a blue St. George’s cross on a red field. It was this design that was ultimately adapted as the national flag of the CSA.
The number of thirteen star Confederate national flags produced is unknown but a large portion were made in the departments of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida under the command of Major General John Pemberton. The Charleston military goods dealership of Hayden & Whilden supplied these unit flags on an open market basis to units in this region. It is known that a small percentage of these thirteen star flags had the stars arranged in a circle and that some were oblong.