The Battle Flag of the Confederacy was originally designed to alleviate the confusion the â€Ã…“Stars and Barsâ€Ã‚Â(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. The emblem proved so popular it soon became a part of the Confederacyâ€Ã¢â€žÂ¢s national flag, and would be used until its fall. Known as the â€Ã…“Southern Crossâ€Ã‚Â, it remains a powerful symbol of the South, and is generally considered the main emblem of the Confederacy. This is the original version, a square instead of a rectangle, and was used by Artillery and various other units. |