The Illusion in the Confederate Battle Flag

[whitworth]

The Illusion in the Confederate Battle Flag and the Second National Flag of the Confederacy.

The thirteen stars in the above flags, representing thirteen states in the Confederacy, was already an illusion by mid-1863. Even by mid-1862, the Confederacy had lost significant territory.

By late 1863, the Confederacy only held majority control, in territory, in seven of those states. The Confederacy held control of Alabama, most of Georgia, most of South Carolina, most of North Carolina, most of Virginia, most of Mississippi and Texas.

Lost by the Confederacy, and represented in the above flags, was Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, parts of Virginia, parts of Louisiana, and parts of Mississippi. The Confederates never captured St. Louis, Missouri and never recaptured New Orleans, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Significant parts of eight of the thirteen Confederate states were controlled by Union forces. The Civil War had already been lost by the Confederacy in a significant part of its territory. That meant that slavery, if not dealt a death blow, was dealt a significant economic blow late in 1863.

If peace came in 1864, what kind of peace would the Confederate states have settled. Certainly not the thirteen states of its original intent. Was the Confederacy in such a position by late 1863, that it could not settle for a loss of so much territory? That negotiated peace, by 1864, was an impossibility?

Thus the illusion of the thirteen stars in the Confederate Battle Flag and their Second National Flag.
By late 1863 these flags showed as much defeat, as any chance at victory. Perhaps much more fatal defeat, than any opportunity of victory.

One need only study the status of the Confederate stars in its flags.

[samgrant]

And it may be noted that the Federal flag always had a star for every state, including those of the so-called Confederate States.

[Dred]

I always thought the 13 stars represented the 13 colonies, showing that the confederates acknowledged their beginnings and honored their ancestors. Wish I coudl rememebr where I heard that now.. or maybe I imagined it lol

[larry_cockerham]

Nope, the stars were a much debated and belabored topic by the Confederate Congress. They spent more time worrying about such things than getting prepared for war or it's continuance. Stars were for seceeded states, not the colonies.... just a coincidence.

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by whitworth

The Illusion in the Confederate Battle Flag and the Second National Flag of the Confederacy.

The thirteen stars in the above flags, representing thirteen states in the Confederacy, was already an illusion by mid-1863. Even by mid-1862, the Confederacy had lost significant territory.

By late 1863, the Confederacy only held majority control, in territory, in seven of those states. The Confederacy held control of Alabama, most of Georgia, most of South Carolina, most of North Carolina, most of Virginia, most of Mississippi and Texas.

Lost by the Confederacy, and represented in the above flags, was Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, parts of Virginia, parts of Louisiana, and parts of Mississippi. The Confederates never captured St. Louis, Missouri and never recaptured New Orleans, Louisiana and Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Significant parts of eight of the thirteen Confederate states were controlled by Union forces. The Civil War had already been lost by the Confederacy in a significant part of its territory. That meant that slavery, if not dealt a death blow, was dealt a significant economic blow late in 1863.

If peace came in 1864, what kind of peace would the Confederate states have settled. Certainly not the thirteen states of its original intent. Was the Confederacy in such a position by late 1863, that it could not settle for a loss of so much territory? That negotiated peace, by 1864, was an impossibility?

Thus the illusion of the thirteen stars in the Confederate Battle Flag and their Second National Flag.
By late 1863 these flags showed as much defeat, as any chance at victory. Perhaps much more fatal defeat, than any opportunity of victory.

One need only study the status of the Confederate stars in its flags.

For the sake of disussion, there were mountain sections of North Carolina which remained very loyal to the Union as well as much of extreme upper east Tennessee. There was another geographical/political band across northern Alabama that was staunchly Unionist. The Confederates held control of most of the western half of Tennessee outside of Nashville, mostly because it was no longer of interest or value once Sherman moved south from Chattanooga. The civilians were mostly Confederate in preference in this area. The Confederacy, in my humble opinion, was mostly in Jeff Davis's brain. Aside from a few armament factories in places like Selma, AL and the powder plant at Augusta, GA., the Confederacy was only alive in the people's minds and perhaps in the stirrups of Forrest and Wheeler. From my reading and limited understanding, much of Kentucky never came to a consensus, their being somewhat in the middle of the geographic areas of the major combatants.

[OpnDownfall]

Very Good point about the significance of those stars, especially as they related to being markers on the progress of the war.