Regarding the story “Confederate Powderworks flag to be replaced with more historically accurate one” (Sept. 16): The Augusta Canal Authority is mistaken. The Confederate Battle Flag is historically accurate. In August 1864, all Confederate forces in Augusta, including those under Col. G.W. Rains’ authority, were assigned to the Army of Tennessee under Gen. John B. Hood. The Army of Tennessee battle flag was ordered by Gen. Joseph Johnston and issued to units beginning in January 1864. The rectangular design incorporated 13 white stars on a blue St. Andrew’s cross on a red field. Augusta’s Commanding Gen. A.R. Wright sent 1,300 troops, including companies from the Powderworks, to Macon under the Army of Tennessee battle flag. If the Canal Authority wants to be truly “historically accurate,” the First, Second and Third Confederate National Flags, along with the Army of Tennessee Flag, should be displayed. In 1993 I placed the first battle flag on the face of the chimney on April 26, and every year after that until I left it attached to the chimney in 2006 (I went to Afghanistan in November). Camp members put up the current metal flag. There has been a battle flag attached to the chimney once a year for 13 years and attached for the past five years without complaint or comment. Now, perhaps to appease the Georgia Historical Society and the local Salvation Army, they demand the historically correct battle flag be removed because of a flimsy “historical accuracy” excuse and a feigned sudden concern for the chimney after receiving a state tourism award for improvements to the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area. It’s all just a “Kroc.”
(The writer is a past commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans’ Brig. Gen. E. Porter Alexander Camp in Augusta; the Georgia Military Order of the Stars and Bars; and the order’s Col. G.W. Rains Chapter in Augusta.)