Artemis Zuna Trading Post > America's SECOND War of Secession > 1st Confederate National Flag
The original flag of the Confederate States of America, commonly known as the "STARS AND BARS", was approved by the Congress of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States, and first hoisted over the capitol building in Montgomery, Alabama, on the afternoon of the 4th day of March, 1861 by Miss Letitia Christian Tyler, the granddaughter of President John Tyler.
This new flag spread quickly in use across the South, even beyond the borders of the seven States of the CSA. The official version was to have the stars in a circle, with the number corresponding to the States actually admitted to the Confederacy. Thus, there would have been 7 stars (representing the first seven states to secede from the Union: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) from 4 March 1861 until 7 May 1861, when Virginia became the 8th Confederate State by Act of Congress. Thereafter, the number of stars continued to increase until Tennessee gained her seat as the 11th State on 2 July 1861. The number remained 11 through the summer, but increased when Missouri and Kentucky were admitted to the CSA by Acts of Congress approved 28 November 1861 and 10 December 1861, respectively.
In its final form, the flag contained thirteen stars (adding the seceding states of Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee as well as two states that attempted, but failed, to secede: Kentucky and Missouri).
Despite the official pattern and numbers, however, individual examples of the Stars and Bars varied greatly, with numbers of stars ranging up to 17 found on a flag taken from California secessionists, and star patterns varying greatly beyond the officially sanctioned circle.