The London Illustrated News of Feb. 2, 1861 carried the following article:
"THE NEW FLAG OF THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA: The particular flag known as the sovereignty flag of South Carolina which that State has recently adopted is represented in the annexed Engraving. It is formed of a red ground, with a dark blue cross, on which are fifteen stars (the central one being much larger than any of the others), with a white palmetto-tree, and a crescent in one of the corners. This is, we believe, the first flag which has been put forward by either of the seceding states."
The illustration shows the crescent and palmetto tree in the top hoist quarter, the crescent with both points pointing toward the fly end, instead of angled upward as in today's S.C. flag. The drawing shows no fimbriation.
The article goes on to describe in detail the "arms of South Carolina" which includes two shields, two mottoes, and is basically the modern day South Carolina state seal.
"The Flags of Civil War South Carolina" was my first flag book. I knew of this report while I was putting the book together but chose not to include the flag since there was no surviving example. I feel that that was a mistake. There is ample evidence that this flag was used, albeit briefly.
The Chester County flag was similar in design (except as you note, colors reversed). To my knowledge this is merely a county variation used only locally.
There were many variations on the secession theme.
In June 1776, Sgt. William Jasper saved a fallen flag at the Battle of Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. This flag was blue with a crescent displayed. Decades later, the lone star flag became a statement of sovereignty. The red swallowtail with a crescent and star was one more variation of the sovereignty type or secession flag. It was flown over the Customs House (now the Exchange Building) in Charleston.
I'm of a different school than Mr. Biggs. I believe that the Confederate flags were strong statements of the Southerner's religious beliefs and Celtic/Christian heritage. He truly does "know" Confederate flags. I'm just not so sure that he "knows" Southern people. Christianity was an integral part of their existence. There would be no need to broadcast the fact that the St. Andrew's cross was a Christian or Scottish symbol. That was common knowledge.
Christian mottoes bedecked hundreds of company first nationals. The first national itself has Christian symbolism.
I too have read the letter regarding the 27th Arkansas flag, a flag associated with Gen. Sterling Price, blue field, red border, with a "Latin" cross. Today we would refer to it as a "Jesus cross." The soldier was not complaining about the Christian symbol. He was merely taking offence at the cross being a "papist", or Catholic, symbol.
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of religion here." (Patrick Henry)
There is indeed a group of yankee "myth-breakers" who are trying very hard to separate the Confederate flag from the Christian faith and heritage of the Southern people. They would have you believe that Miles, et al, merely placed stars on an "X" and called it a flag.
You may believe what you wish of course.