Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/264

256 of any kind was attached to the cross.) General Beauregard's was a rectangle, red, with St. Andrew's cross and white stars, similar to General Johnston's.

"After we had discussed fully the two styles, taking into consideration the cost of material and the care of making the same, it was decided the elliptical flag would be harder to make; that it would take more cloth, and it could not be seen so plainly at a distance; that the rectangular flag, drawn and suggested by General Beauregard, should be adopted. General Johnston yielded at once.

"No one else was present but we three. No one knew about this flag but we three until an order was issued adopting the Beauregard flag, as it was called, and directing me, as chief quartermaster, to have the flag made as soon as it could be done. I immediately issued an address to the good ladies of the South to give me their red and blue silk dresses, and to send them to Captain Colin McRae Selph, quartermaster, at Richmond, Va. (Captain Selph is now living in New Orleans.) He was assisted by two elegant young ladies, the Misses Carey, from Baltimore, and Mrs. Henningsen, of Savannah, and Mrs. Hopkins, of Alabama.

"The Misses Carey made battleflags for General Beauregard and General Van Dorn, and, I think, for General J. E. Johnston. They made General Beauregard's out of their own silk dresses. This flag is now in Memorial hall, New Orleans, with a statement of that fact from General Beauregard. General Van Dorn's flag was made of heavier material, but very pretty.

"The statement going around that this flag was first designed by Federal prisoners is false. General Beauregard's battle flag is in Memorial hall, at New Orleans. The Washington artillery battle flag can be seen at the Washington Artillery hall."