Salute! The "Stars and Bars" was the first national flag of the Confederate States of America and used during the first 2 years of the war (from March 4, 1861 until May 1, 1863). It has two red stripes separated by a white stripe, symbolizing courage, purity, and truth, respectively, with each star representing a state. (video of the recently removed Confederate Memorial in Edenton, North Carolina) The design deliberately echoed the U.S. Stars and Stripes, reflecting the Confederacy's inherited