Marking Confederate history
By Frank Mustac
An upcoming ceremony to unveil a marker at the precise spot where the design for the Confederate battle flag with its diagonal blue cross with white stars on a field of red was first agreed upon in 1861 will not be a commemoration to a still-controversial Civil War-era symbol, but to a historical fact, according to Michael Shumaker.
"I haven't heard any controversy," said Shumaker, a Fairfax resident, referring to the ceremony itself, which will take place Saturday, April 12, at 9 a.m. near the corner of Main and Oaks Streets in Fairfax City, at what is now the Oak Knoll Apartments.
Shumaker is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Frank Stringfellow Camp 822, the sponsor of a historic marker. The text appearing on the marker was approved by the Virginia Board of Historic Resources and in part reads:
"During the First Battle of Manassas, amid the smoke of combat, troops found it difficult to distinguish between Union and Confederate flags. Generals P.G.T. Beauregard, Joseph E. Johnston and Quartermaster General William L. Cabell met near here in September 1861 and approved the first Confederate battle flag."
The phrase "near here" in the text refers to a house known as the Ratcliffe home that once stood at the corner referred to above. The house burned down in the early 1900s. During the Civil War, it served as area headquarters for both the Confederate and Union sides, according to Shumaker.
Del. Kenneth Alexander (D), who represents the Norfolk area in the House of Delegates and is a member of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, said he did not deem the upcoming Saturday ceremony to be controversial.
"They are within their right to commemorate the design of the Confederate battle flag,” Alexander said by phone last week. “I may have personal objections and other individuals may have objections, but again that is also our right.”
"We have the right to object and to protest, but as long as we do it civilly and within the law and also at the same time respect the group that wants to commemorate the battle flag,” he said. "This is what makes America America, and what makes America great, the greatest country in the world."
Scheduled to attend the Saturday ceremony are representatives of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and Fairfax City Mayor Robert Lederer.
Del. David Bulova (D-Fairfax) said he is planning to be there as well.
“This is part of a larger effort to recognize the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in 2011, recognizing that this was an American tragedy and certainly has impacted our history and will continue to impact it for some time to come," Bulova said. "Hopefully it will be one of those solemn occasions where we recognize an important piece of our past."