Confederate flags remain both iconic and controversial to the present day and many are unaware of their origins. When the recently seceded states met in Montgomery, Alabama to form a new government one of the happy tasks that accompanied the building of their new nation was the selection of a national flag. The Confederate Provisional Congress completed this task on March 4, 1861, after reviewing hundreds of design submitted by southern patriots, entrepreneurs and would-be artists, with the adoption of the 1st National Flag which mimicked the United States stars and stripes design.

It retained a star for each state but reduced the 13 stripes to three bars, the minimum necessary to retain the allusion to the old stripes. This flag and exemplified the Confederate belief that they were the true keepers of the flame from the Revolutionary War. Because of its close similarity to the United States flag, then 1st National Flag proved unsatisfactory on the battlefield, prompting the adoption of a new battle flag and eventually a two new national flags.

The most significant flag in this Grouping is a Confederate 2nd National flag. It is the final ensign of the CSS Alabama, one of the most storied ships of the Confederate Navy, and was acquired directly from the British family to whom it was presented. Second only to the ensign of the Alabama is the large Confederate flag thought to be the jack from the CSS Patrick Henry, the school ship of the Confederate Naval Academy.

This Grouping contains three examples of the Confederate 1st national flag bearing 7, 9 and 11 stars, an extremely rare Confederate white over red mounted troops guidon still with its original staff.

Concluding the Grouping are a "Ruse de Guerre" ensign and other ephemera relating to the Confederate flag.