On August 19th, 1861, the Fort Smith Times ran an article in its columns that detailed the meeting between the Confederate commissioners to the Five Civilized Tribes and the Seminole Indian Council. In describing the events, the Times reporter noted that: "The Confederate flag floats over our camp. In its blue field are the eleven white stars, in a circle, and inside that circle the Commissioner has placed four small red stars, forming the four extremities of a passion cross-- for the four nations, the Choctaws, Chickasaws, Creeks, and Seminoles, in token that these Christian tribes of red men are encircled by our protection, and are with and of us. When, if ever, we deem it fit to treat with the Cherokees, a fifth red star will form the centre of the cross. ..." Although the Cherokee Nation would split over the alliance between the tribe and the Confederacy, the fifth red star was eventually added to the "passion cross". And, at least two flags survive that indicate that the flag which the commissioners used came to represent the Indian tribes that formed alliances with the Confederacy.