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Like most Confederate Units, the 13th needed a way to distinguish itself on the battlefield. This battle cross, based on the Saint Andrews Cross, was adopted by many Confederate units after the First Battle of Manassas, and later was incorporated into both the second and third national flags of the Confederacy. The flag of the 13th Virginia was sewn by the wife of the 13th's first Colonel, A.P. Hill. Mrs. Kitty Morgan Hill was a native of Kentucky. Because Kentucky was a border state, it did not secede from the Union. As a result, Mrs. Hill chose not to include the center star onto the flag of the 13th Virginia. The center star is present on many of the Confederate Battle Flags to represent the soldiers from Kentucky who did serve the South. Today the Confederate Battle Flag has become an increasingly controversial issue, and is frequently in the news. The fact that hate groups have twisted and altered the meaning of this flag is a shame to those of us who respect the brave men who fought for their independence in the South. This flag was designed, not as a symbol of hate, but as a rallying point and a symbol of unity in the Confederate Army. To these men, the flag was a reminder of home and loved ones, and this, rather than hatred, should be the legacy of the Confederate Flag.
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