1861
Adoption of the official flag of the Confederate States of America
If one were to identify this flag as that of the Confederacy, you would be wrong.
What you see above is a version of the Confederate battle flag, based on that of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. The Confederacy itself used this below as its official flag, chosen on this date in 1861:
The flag was known as the “Stars and Bars” and was widely disliked because of its resemblance to the flag of the Union, the “Stars and Stripes”. So, in 1863 the CSA chose the “Stainless Banner” incorporating the battle flag in the canton:
Many liked this design because it was mostly white and the rebels were, after all, fighting for white supremacy, but in battle that was a drawback as it resembled a flag of truce or surrender. Thus, on this date in 1865, the third and last flag of the Confederate States, the “Bloodstained Banner” was chosen:
