There were two issues of the Polk, Saint George’s Cross battle flag. The first version had 13 stars and was used by Polk’s 1st Grand Division of the Army of the Mississippi, while the second version had 11 stars and was used by various units of the Army of Tennessee.
History of the Polk Battle Flag
Major General Leonidas Polk decided to create his own battle flag design because of the battlefield confusion Confederate troops using the First National Flag experienced as a result of its similarity to the Stars and Stripes. Polk saw the need for a flag that could not be mistaken for a Union flag. The Saint George’s cross is the symbol of the Episcopal Church. Polk was the Bishop Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana before resigning and becoming a CSA General. In the summer of 1862, this second version of the famous Polk Battle Flag with 11 stars was issued to several different Tennessee infantry regiments including the 4th, 21st, and 27th Tennessee as well as the 16th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry just to name a few.
Printed 100 denier polyester is a very lightweight material that will fly nicely in the slightest breeze.
- One solid piece of printed, hemmed fabric
- Lightweight 100 denier polyester that will fly nicely in the slightest breeze.
- Bright colors
- 4 rows of stitching on the fly end to prevent premature fraying
- Reinforced header with brass grommets
- Flag size: 3′ x 5′
