Michael,
I agree with you. There were probably just 8 stars
here at most. But that is not certain.
There are several 15 star flags that predate this one! True that these were mostly in rural areas; far
from the news media centers of the day. But a few
were not!
The number of stars as a measuring scale for when
and where a flag was made is not as trustworthy as
it was once thought to be.
We do know that the Marshall House flag was
made in Alexandria and in May 1861. The confiruation shown in your posting and the number of stars seems consistant with what we know of this flag.
I only wish the souvenir hunters would have been
fewer in number. I offer the alternative views as a
source for conversation. I also offer a warning
concerning the many reputed "pieces" of this flag floating about; They probably are not what they
claim to be.

Ken Legendre