Southern Historical Society Papers, Volume 31.
Reverend J. William Jones, Ed.

When the Confederate Army, commanded by General Beauregard, and the Federal Army confronted each other at Manassas, it was seen that the Confederate flag and the Stars and Stripes looked at a distance so much alike that it was hard to distinguish one from the other. General Beauregard, thinking that serious mistakes might be made in recognizing our troops, ordered, after the battle of July 18, at Blackburn Ford, that a small red badge should be worn on the left shoulder by our troops, and, as I was chief quartermaster, ordered me to purchase a large quantity of red flannel and distribute it to each regiment. I distributed the red flannel to several regiments, who placed badges on the left shoulders of the men. During the battle of Bull Run it was plainly to be seen that a great number of Federal soldiers wore a similar red badge. I saw these badges on a number of prisoners we captured that day.