Possible origin of the Alabama and Florida flags
The
cross of Burgundy was one of the standards used by the Spanish military in the southeast United States. I am not sure, but it just struck me that this may be the inspiration for the
Alabama and
Florida flags.
Nathan Bliss, 20 January 1998
The [
Alabama] state flag was patterned after the
battle flag of the confederate Army of Northern Virginia (ANV). It was also intended to be a square flag just like the ANV battle flag was. I have a color drawing of it from the Governor William Oates Papers in the Alabama State Archives.
Greg Biggs, 13 October 1998
While both the modern
Alabama and
Florida state flags may have some historical tribute to
Spanish rule in their design, both were definitely patterned after the battle flags of the Army of Northern Virginia — under which the bulk of the troops from both states fought. Both of these flags have documentation stating the influence of the
ANV battle flag in their design — particularly the flag of
Alabama, which was created under the administration of Governor William Oates, a former regimental commander in the ANV.
Greg Biggs, 21 December 1999
Well, I see that both the
ANV battle flag and the
Alabama state flag are square and show a saltire. Other than that I find it difficult to see how the latter was
"patterned after" the first. It seems strange to me that among the US states which adopted a flag patterned (supposedly or really) on the ANV battle flag, the only ones which experienced Spanish government,
Alabama and
Florida, have a flag which clearly recalls the old Spanish Colours (red saltire, no stars, on a white field), whereas the rest —
Georgia,
Mississippi etc.— have flags which clearly recall the
ANV battle flag (blue saltire with stars on a red field).
Santiago Dotor, 21 December 1999
The colors of the modern flag of
Alabama certainly match those of the Spanish regimental flag — and in that case it was a bit of subterfuge to make it not look exactly like the
ANV battle flag. The case is still out on the
Florida flag I think — although the Spanish connection may be stronger there.
Greg Biggs, 6 September 2000