What is a flag? It is a piece of cloth that represents something. It may represent an idea, a group of people, or an organization. Flags represent teams, countries, states, clubs, churches, and cities. They come in many different sizes, shapes, colors and designs.

The United States of America has a flag which represents the country. The first Stars and Stripes was ordered in 1777. The order said that the flag should be "thirteen stripes, alternating red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." As more states entered the Union, Congress decided that a new star should be put on the flag for each new state. The thirteen stripes would not change, reminding us of the original thirteen colonies. Today the United States flag has 50 stars representing the 50 states.

During the Civil War both the United States of America and the Confederate States of America had a flag. The United States flag looked the same as it does now, except there were fewer stars. The Confederate States changed the design of their original flag two times during the war. They also had a special flag just for battle.

Flags were important in battles because they helped to tell which side was which. During the fighting of the Civil War, smoke and dust often filled the air and made it hard to see. The tremendous noise of battle made it hard for each soldier to hear orders. Many times only the flags carried by a regiment were visible to tell the soldier where his or other troops were located, and who was friendly and who was not. If the soldier could not hear orders he would follow the direction of the flags, fighting and moving wherever the flags went.

Each Union regiment (full strength of 1000 men, or 10 companies) might carry two flags; the flag of the United States, and a flag representing the regiment called the regimental colors. The Confederate regiment generally carried one battle flag. Soldiers of both sides took great pride in the regimental flags they carried, as those flags represented their country or state, their beliefs, and their way of life. Wherever the flag goes the regiment goes, and with great pride and patriotism. To carry the flag was a great honor. To have your flag captured by the enemy was considered a major disgrace for the men of the regiment.

(Courtesy of U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service)

Flags of the CSA

Flags of the USA

Flags of the 16th & 60th Regiments Illinois Volunteers

Back