May 6, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
As we see various descriptions of the new Flag adopted by Congress, it might be instructive to our readers to give the description in correct heraldic terms, which would be as follows: ‘Argent: on a canton gules, a saltire azure, fimbriated of the field; charged with thirteen etoiles of the last,’ which is rendered thus: ‘White: on a canton red, a St. Andrew’s cross blue, edged with white, bearing thereon thirteen white stars.’ We are not sure that the blue cross on the red canton is edged with white; but if it is not it ought to be, in order to relieve it from the charge of false heraldry, which forbids color to be placed upon color; and this edging, or fimbriation, was expressly invented by the English heralds to avoid false heraldry in the Union Jack of England.
It will be seen by the following despatch to the Hon. Mr. VILLERE, of Louisiana, that the design that has been adopted is a favorite design with one of the greatest leaders of the Confederate army:
CHARLESTON, S.C., April 24.
To Hon. C.J. Vallere:
Why change our battle flag, consecrated by the best blood of our country on so many battle fields? A good design for the national flag would be the present battle flag as Union Jack, and the rest all white or all blue.
G.T. BEAUREGARD.