150 years later, our folks are clueless over our own flags. WHY?
 
From: georgiaflagger@joimail.com
 
A few years ago, I was involved in a serious discussion with the Green Party lefty from Isle of Wight County, Va, Mr Albert Burkard. (man who buried a Battleflag for media publicity stunt) He is the big man at the Ft Huger redoubt there, and has chosen to fly a 1st National flag at the site, but with only 7 stars.
 
I have informed him with historical proof 7 star 1st Nationals DO NOT represent Virginia, and that a 7 star version did not fly at Ft Huger. But it remains.
 
Similar discussions have been relayed to various UDC members of varying leadership roles within the organization, but they just do not seem to understand that a 7 star 1st National ignores the contributions of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Arkansas, nor do I believe they care.
 
Turning to more recent events. I was at the 150th Anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Big Bethel at Endview Plantation last year. The Confederate troops flew 2 banners. A Bonnie Blue and a period NC state flag. The historical Battle took place on June 10th, 1861, however, the NC state flag design was not ratified until June 22nd, 1861. It is a known fact that an 8 star 1st National was used at the Battle of Big Bethel.
 
For 4 years I tried my damndest to get a Magruder Battleflag – Army of the Peninsula – incorporated into the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Williamsburg. But of the 2 main groups hosting events to mark the occasion, the UDC and Colonial Williamsburg, NEITHER ONE gave a crap. Colonial Williamsburg brought in some reenactors that used a "Blind Justice" (blinfolded woman holding scales) flag not based in reality, and a much later 4th issue ANV version Battleflag. It took Susan Hathaway of the Virginia Flaggers to attend as a tourist holding a AoP Battleflag to bring REAL history to the affair.
 
At the recent Hood’s Texas Brigade at Gaines Mill Battlefield monument unveiling, strangely not a single Texas flag was seen…
 
It is just the middle of 2012. We have until 2015. We can’t even get the flags right. It is gonna be a LONG sesquicentennial. Come on people, we gotta do better!  At least the Virginia Flaggers are doing right, and they aren’t afraid to use 13 star 1st Nationals or Magruder Flags!
 
Billy Bearden