Robert Cogdill Gilchrist's Proposal for a Confederate Flag in 1861

Since I have been writing about this man's construction of the first suspension bridge over the Hudson River in the state of New York, I also found this interesting tidbit.

From Confederate Flags.org.

The proposal of Robert C. Gilchrist of Charleston, South Carolina,  was sent by express courier to Christopher G. Memminger on 4 February 1861, the day the Montgomery Convention which created the Confederacy opened.

Retaining the idea of the Stars and Stripes, Gilchrist removed the canton and placed the stars on a blue cross which spread across the red and white stripes.

This early design by a prominent citizen who had been Commissioner of the United States District Court and the U.S. Court of Claims for the District of South Carolina received wide  publicity.

However, in a letter  to the South Carolina delegation dated 7 February 1861, signed by Charles H. Moise, the Jewish congregations of South Carolina objected to the adoption of a sectarian symbol as the flag of the new country.

Interesting flag design.  I'd never seen it before or heard of Robert C. Gilchrist before I made the blog entries about Gilchrist's bridge across the Hudson River in 1871.

--Old Secesh

A Confederate Built the First Suspension Bridge Over the Hudson River-- Part 3: A Short-Lived Bridge

Robert Gilchrist's bridge, the first suspension one over the Hudson River,  was dedicated on September 8, 1871,  with a great public celebration, complete with a steam locomotive and boxcars and a picnic. However, it turned out that there wasn't enough food, but, alas, plenty of speeches.

The bridge was described as being about 25 feet above the normal water level, 15 feet wide and with a span of 230 feet.

Plans had a railroad depot to be constructed and passenger service could detrain and  catch a stagecoach to local towns 

Sadly, however, Gilchrist's bridge was not to last for very long.  On April 1, 1873, the cables on one side of the bridge gave way after a very heavy snowstorm, causing the bridge to hang upside down on the remaining cable.  Later that spring, the bridge was removed so as not to impede the  spring logging drive on the river.

Gilchrist returned to Charleston and remained there the rest of his life other than infrequent trips back to the Adirondacks where he began selling off his inherited land.

--Old Secesh

A Confederate Built the First Suspension Bridge Over Hudson River-- Part 2: A Railroad Opportunity

When the Civil War broke out, Robert Gilchrist,  though opposed to secession,  stayed in Charleston and sided with the Confederacy.  He fought to defend the Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor.   He was commissioned an officer and rose to the rank of major under general Beauregard, the commander in Charleston.

The city held out until 1865, when it was abandoned as Sherman marched his Union force through South Carolina.

When the war ended, Robert, his wife and young family, traveled to The Glen to inspect the property owned by his uncle (also named Robert Gilchrist) and Mother (Mary Gilchrist).

Dr. Thomas Durant  by then had the Adirondack Railroad, whose completion had been delayed because of the war and was planning to expand his railroad from Saratoga to North Creek.  Robert Gilchrist was now in the Adirondacks and had plans to expand into the  forest, tourism and resort industries and saw an opportunity with the railroad.

Robert decided to help the railroad locate and had a bridge built across the Hudson River on his property.  The project cost $8,000 and was a John A. Roebling-style bridge and hired engineer Charles McDonald to supervise it.

--Old Secesh

A Confederate Built First Suspension Bridge Over Hudson River-- Part 1: Robert Gilchrest

From the December 20, 2020, Adirondack Almanack "Uncovering the mysteries behind a bridge's remains" by Mike Prescott.

Robert Codgell Gilchrest was of a wealthy, well-connected Charleston, S.C., family and born kin 1829.  His father had received  a federal judgeship from President Martin Van Buren and owned an opulent home.  Each summer his family journeyed north to avoid the hot and dangerous Charleston summers.

They would stay with his mother's relatives in the Great Northern Wilderness of New York.

Hus father, Robert Budd Gilchrest had married his first cousin, Mary Gilchrest in 1827.  At the time it was not uncommon for first cousins to marry to consolidate family wealth.  She was related to the Thurman family of the southern Adirondacks, and it is through marriage and family connections that Gilchrest inherited thousands of acres in the Adirondacks upon his mother's death in 1869.

As a young man of great wealth the young Robert led a privileged life.  He graduated from the College of Charleston, studied law and took up a lucrative law practice.  He joined the city's militia group, the Washington Light Infantry.

During this time, the nation became more divided.

--Old Secesh