What is the “Stars and Bars”?
The “Stars and Bars” IS NOT the familiar “rebel” flag one sees adorning license plates and often carried by the KKK– that is the CS Naval Jack, based on the CS battle flag. The Stars and Bars design was approved by a committee of the Provisional Congress on 4 Mar 1861, but was never made official by law. The bottom red stripe ran the entire length of the flag and was 6 units long and 1 unit wide. Above it, and to the left was a blue square, 2 units on a side. In the blue square, a circle of stars (one for each state, initially seven, to represent the original seven Confederate States, eventually thirteen). To the right of the square, two stripes, white below, red above, each 1 unit wide and 4 units long. The Stars and Bars’ similarity to the U.S. flag caused problems of mistaken identity at 1st Bull Run/Manassas, so a battle flag for the Army of Northern Virginia was designed. It was blue saltire (“X” shape) on a red SQUARE field. On the saltire was placed stars equal to the number of
