First National Flag
During the Civil War, Floridians fought under several different patterns of Confederate flags. The "Stars and Bars" flag, now called the Confederate first national pattern, was selected (without a formal vote) by the Confederate government in March 1861. Because of its similarity to the U.S. flag, the Stars and Bars was sometimes confused with the Stars and Stripes in the smoke of battle. Later, a more distinctive banner was designed to replace the Stars and Bars on the battlefield.