Today in History (general history)/ On This Day in Confederate History/ Confederate General Birthdays, March 4.

 Click 👉TODAY IN HISTORY (general history) March 4. 

ON THIS DAY IN CONFEDERATE HISTORY, March 4.

1861: The Confederate Congressional Flag Committee recommends the adoption of the flag design for the First National Flag, also called the "Stars and Bars." The flag design is a red field with a white bar in the middle and a blue canton with the number of white stars corresponding to the number of states in the Confederacy's upper quarter on the hoist side.

First National Confederate flag with 7 stars.

(Wikipedia Commons)

From the top, the First National,

the Battle Flag, the Second National,

and the Third National Confederate flags.

Click the image to enlarge it.

(Library of Congress)

1862: General Robert E. Lee is transferred from the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and East Florida to Richmond, Virginia where he is assigned to be President Davis's military advisor. 

1863: Major General Earl Van Dorn's Confederate Army captures several of Major General William Rosecrans' regiments near Spring Hill, Tennessee.

1864: Confederates fight off another raid by Major General Judson Kilpatrick in the area where Colonel Ulric Dahlgren was killed in King and Queen County, Virginia.

1865: The Confederate Congress adopted the Third National Confederate Flag on this day. The flag was like the Second National Flag, also called the "Stainless Banner," except there is a broad red bar on the fly end of the flag so it can be better distinguished from a white flag of surrender.

Third National Confederate Flag as designed.

(Wikipedia Commons)

CONFEDERATE GENERAL BIRTHDAYS, March 4.

Brigadier General Elisha Franklin Paxton was born on this day in 1828 in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He was a prewar lawyer and an advocate of secession. After the War for Southern Independence started, he joined the Rockbridge Artillery as a first lieutenant. While he had no military experience Paxton was a fast learner and was a participant in the First Battle of Manassas, Va. in Stonewall Jackson's brigade. He was elected a major in the 27th Virginia Infantry on Oct. 14, 1861, and when he was not reelected circa May 1862, was appointed to Stonewall Jackson's staff. He was promoted from major to brigadier general on Nov. 1, 1862, and given command of the Stonewall Brigade and led it at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Va. Paxton was killed in action on May 3, 1863, at the Battle of Chancellorsville while in command of the Stonewall Brigade. At first, he was buried at Guinea Station, Va., and then reburied in Lexington, Va. in Oak Grove Cemetery, the same cemetery where Stonewall Jackson is buried.

Brig. Gen. Elisha F. Paxton