Confederate Blue Ensign (Dixie Forever)

The Confederate Blue Ensign is a blue flag with the Confederate Battle Flag in the canton, authorized by the 1873 Flag Act. According to the 1873 law, the plain blue ensign (without any defacement or modification) is permitted to be worn instead of the Red Ensign, by three categories of civilian vessel:


 * 1) Confederate merchant vessels whose officers and crew include a certain number of retired Confederate Navy personnel or Confederate Navy reservists, or are commanded by an officer of the Confederate Navy in possession of a Government warrant.  The number and rank of such crewmembers required has varied over the years, as well as the additional conditions required since its introduction in 1873.
 * 2) Confederate research ships by warrant, whether manned by former Confederate Navy personnel or Merchant Navy personnel.
 * 3) Confederate-registered yachts belonging to certain yacht clubs.

State Blue Ensign
In 1894, starting in Virginia, each state began flying their own blue ensigns for ships registered in the state for sailing in state waters. The requirements were the same as those registered in the capital district.