Stars and Bars Myth: Why 95% of People Fly the Wrong Confederate Flag in 2025
Last week a fella in his mid-30s walked into my shop, pointed at the big 3x5 nylon Rebel flag hangin’ on the wall, and said, “Jake, my granddaddy always called this the Stars and Bars. I just found out he was wrong my whole life. What in the world?” I laughed, handed him a Coke, and told him he ain’t the first—nor the last—to grow up believin’ that myth. Truth is, about 95% of folks flyin’ a Confederate flag today are flyin’ the wrong one if they think it’s the “official” flag of the Confederacy. Here’s the straight story from a third-generation Tennessee flag maker who’s tired of seein’ good people get history twisted.
The Flag Most People Fly Today Ain’t the Stars and Bars
What y’all call the “Confederate flag” or “Rebel flag”—the red field with the blue saltire and 13 white stars—is actually the Battle Flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. It was never the national flag of the Confederate States of America. It was a square battle flag designed in late 1861 so Confederate soldiers could tell their units apart from Union troops in the smoke at Manassas.
The real “Stars and Bars”—the First National Flag of the Confederacy—looked completely different: three horizontal stripes (red-white-red) with a blue canton in the upper left holding a circle of white stars. It flew over the Capitol in Montgomery and Richmond from March 4, 1861, until May 1, 1863.
Why the Mix-Up Happened (Timeline)
- March 1861 – Confederacy adopts the Stars and Bars (looks too much like U.S. Stars and Stripes—causes confusion on battlefield)
- September 1861 – Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard and Gen. Joseph E. Johnston commission the square battle flag (blue saltire on red field)
- May 1863 – Confederacy adopts Second National Flag (“Stainless Banner” – mostly white with battle flag canton)
- March 1865 – Third National Flag adds red vertical bar (barely used before surrender)
- 1948–present – The Army of Northern Virginia battle flag becomes the pop-culture “Confederate flag” thanks to Dixiecrat Party, Dukes of Hazzard, and Southern rock bands
Quick Visual Cheat Sheet
| Common Name | Actual Name | Years Used as National Flag | What Most Folks Fly Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars and Bars | First National Flag | 1861–1863 | No |
| Stainless Banner | Second National Flag | 1863–1865 | Rarely |
| Blood-Stained Banner | Third National Flag | 1865 (1 month) | Almost never |
| Rebel / Dixie / Southern Cross | Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag | Never national | YES – 95% of flags sold |
Why It Matters in 2025
When somebody tells you “the Confederate flag is the Stars and Bars,” they’re accidentally provin’ they don’t know the history they claim to defend. Flyin’ the battle flag ain’t wrong—it’s the one the boys carried through four years of hell—but callin’ it the wrong name hands ammunition to folks who want to erase the whole story.
I stock all four patterns because heritage deserves accuracy:
- Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag (what y’all want 99% of the time)
- First National “Stars and Bars” (for reenactors and history buffs)
- Second & Third Nationals (custom order)
Two Stories from Behind My Counter
Last year a reenactor ordered a proper cotton First National “Stars and Bars” for a living-history event. When it arrived, he teared up and said, “Jake, this is the flag my great-great-granddaddy enlisted under. Thank you for keepin’ it right.”
Last month a tattoo artist bought a 3x5 battle flag and asked, “This the Stars and Bars?” I showed him the difference on my phone. He laughed and said, “Well hell, I just inked the wrong one on three customers this year.”
Bottom Line
If you’re flyin’ the red field with the blue X, you’re flyin’ the battle flag carried by Lee’s army—not the Stars and Bars. And that’s perfectly fine. Just know what it is, know why it matters, and fly it proud with the right story.
When you’re ready for an American-made Rebel flag—embroidered stars, brass grommets, stitched stripes that won’t shred in the first Tennessee thunderstorm—swing by ConfederateWave.org. We’ve got the real battle flag in stock, plus the true Stars and Bars if you want to set the record straight.
