bonnie blue flag

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Vicksburg

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Vicksburg National Military Park

Bonnie Blue Flag

On January 9, 1861, the Convention of the People of Mississippiadopted an ordinance of Secession. With the announcement of theOrdinance, a large blue flag bearing a single white star was raised

over the State Capitol building in Jackson.

The LoneStar Flag

Republic ofWest Florida

incorporated in the LouisianaPurchase, officials took possessionof the area and added it to theMississippi Territory.

The lone star flag was flown bymany states, the first recorded usedating to 1810 by the Republic ofWest Florida. This Republicencompassed the southernmostcounties of Mississippi, an areabought by the United States with the

Louisiana Purchase, but whichbecame disputed territory whenSpain refused to evacuate the area.American settlers who rebelledagainst the Spanish, driving themeast, formed the Republic andapplied for U.S. statehood. WhenPresident James Madisonresponded that the area was already

The memory of the West Floridamovement lived on in Southern

tradition, and the flag became theflag of the Republic of Texas from1836 to 1839. It would rise again asthe flag of the Republic ofMississippi for a few weeks in 1861,and served as the unofficial flag ofthe Confederacy until replaced bythe Stars and Bars.

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We are a band of brothers and native to the soilFighting for the property we gained by honest toil

And when our rights were threatened, the cryrose near and far

Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a

single star!

Hurrah!Hurrah!For Southern rights, hurrah!Hurrah for the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears a

single star.

As long as the Union was faithful to her trustLike friends and brethren, kind were we, and justBut now, when Northern treachery attempts our

rights to marWe hoist on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bears

a single star.


single star.

First gallant South Carolina nobly made thestand

Then came Alabama and took her by the handNext, quickly Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida

All raised on high the Bonnie Blue Flag that bearsa single star.


single star.

Ye men of valor gather round the banner of thright

Texas and fair Louisiana join us in the fightDavis, our loved President, and Stephens

statesmen are

Now rally round the Bonnie Blue Flag that beaa single star.

And here's to brave Virginia, the Old DominioState.

With the young Confederacy at length has linkher fate.

Impelled by her example, now other Statesprepare

To hoist on high the Bonnie Blue flag that bearsingle star.

Then here's to our Confederacy, strong we are

and brave,Like patriots of old we'll fight, our heritage to

save.And rather than submit to shame, to die we

would preferSo cheer for the Bonnie Blue flag that bears a

single star.

Then cheer, boys, cheer, raise a joyous shoutFor Arkansas and North Carolina now have

both gone out;And let another rousing cheer for Tennessee be

givenThe single star of the Bonnie Blue Flag hasgrown to be eleven!

(Two additional verses were added later asnew states joined the Confederacy.)

The BonnieBlue Flag

One of the witnesses to the 1861 flagraising in Jackson was an Irish-bornactor named Harry Macarthy. Soinspired by the spectacle, he wrote asong, The Bonnie Blue Flag,destined to be the second mostpopular patriotic song in theConfederacy. When first played in

New Orleans before a mixedaudience of Texans andLouisianans, it was received with anoutburst of approval that was nearlyriotous.

The song would spur on the romanticlore of the South, and the Bonnie BluFlag spread across the nation and intothe hearts of the people.

The Flag ofthe People

Although never officially adopted bythe Confederate government, the flagwas readily accepted by the

Confederate citizenry. Lone starbanners were flown in one form oranother in five of the states of theConfederacy which adopted new flagin 1861.

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A

bonnie blue flag

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