Ken and all,

This Irish thing for the Hardee flag has about as much validity as the Scotish-Celtic nonsense for Southern Cross battle flags. William Porcher Miles designed the latter pattern and he was of French Hugenot descent and only chose that design when the resistance to the St. George's cross flags was being voiced at the time (Feb. 1861).

Buckner claimed to have designed the flag in in 1909. His wife was part of the sewing circle that made them while in Bowling Green, KY. His division, the part that went to Donelson, had them with them and they were captured there by Federal troops. The KSG flag looks a lot like the Buckner/Hardee flag as does the modern KY state flag. Hardee has never tried to claim designing this flag (nor was he Irish)and neither has Cleburne, who was only a colonel when he got to Bowling Green if I recall correctly.

I have found no errors in Buckner's statements at all - and in fact have found more to corroborate them.

The flag became known as the "Hardee" flag becasue the Army of Central KY became Hardee's Corps and the flag was already in use before then when he was a division commander.

Lastly - the OR has the full Order of Battle for this command in several stages.

Greg Biggs