In early January 1861, a special convention of delegates from around the state met in Tallahassee to consider whether Florida should leave the Union. Governor Madison Starke Perry and Governor-elect John Milton were both strong supporters of secession. For days, the issues were debated inside and outside the convention. In a minority opinion, former territorial governor Richard Keith Call, acting as a private citizen, argued that secession would bring only ruin to the state.

On January 10, 1861, the delegates voted sixty-two to seven to withdraw Florida from the Union. The next day, in a public ceremony on the east steps of the capitol, they signed a formal Ordinance of Secession. News of the event generally led to local celebrations. Later, the delegates adopted a new state constitution. Florida was the third state to leave the Union, and within a month it joined with other southern states to form the Confederate States of America.

(Transcript):

We, the People of the State of Florida in Convention assembled, do solemnly ordain, publish and declare: That the State of Florida hereby withdraws herself from the Confederacy of States existing under the name of the United States of America, and from the existing Government of said States; and that all political connection between her and the Government of said States ought to be and the same is hereby totally annulled, and said union of States dissolved; and the State of Florida is hereby declared a Sovereign and Independent Nation; and that all ordinances heretofore adopted in so far as they create or recognize said Union are rescinded; and all laws or parts of laws in force in this State, in so far as they recognize or assent to said Union be and they are hereby repealed.

Done in open Convention, January 10th, A.D. 1861

An impression of Florida's first state seal pattern was embossed on Florida's Ordinance of Secession to certify it as official in January 1861.  Although Florida retained the same official state seal throughout the war, the design apparently did not prove popular and was used only for certifying documents.

Helen Broward, of Broward's Neck in Duval County, and other southern women who supported the secessionist cause made and presented this flag (photo above) to Florida Governor Madison S. Perry. It was unfurled by Governor-elect John Milton on the east porch of the state capitol when the delegates signed Florida's Ordinance of Secession on January 11, 1861. The three large stars represent the first three states to leave the Union: South Carolina, Mississippi, and Florida. The flag's motto, "The Rights of the South at All Hazards!", echoes the uncompromising position of southern supporters on the eve of the Civil War. The banner reportedly hung above the speaker's desk in the Florida House of Representatives throughout the war.

At the war's end, the banner still hung in the capitol and reportedly was taken as a trophy by a Union army officer during the postwar occupation of the building. It is recorded that this officer later felt guilty about taking the banner and gave it to a Mrs. Hasson, the wife of a military doctor, to return it to the state. The Hassons moved to the western U.S. shortly after this incident. It was not until 1911 that Mrs. Hasson sent the flag to a Florida member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who then returned it to the State of Florida.

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As the question of possible secession arose in late 1860, the state legislature considered adopting a state flag and state uniform.  No decision was made before adjourning at the end of the year.  The issue came up again in early 1861, with legislative agreement that a state flag was needed.  On February 8, a law was enacted authorizing and directing the governor, "with advice and consent of his staff," to "adopt an appropriate device for a State flag which shall be distinctive in character."

Since more than six months elapsed before a design was chosen, Governor Madison Stark Perry must have had more pressing war-related priorities. On September 13, 1861, Governor Perry reported that "the Flag has been deposited in the Executive Chamber." The secretary of state then recorded a detailed description of Florida's state flag.

The Confederate first national flag greatly influenced the design chosen by the governor of Florida. In fact, the Florida state flag can be viewed as a modification of the national pattern. The flag kept the red, white, and red bars, expanded the blue canton to form the left half of the state flag and replaced the stars with a unique seal representing Florida. The new seal was in the shape of a vertical oval, called an ellipse. The edge of the ellipse or oval band formed a frame bearing the inscriptions of the early statehood period motto above: "In God Is Our Trust" and the state name below: "Florida." The seal itself was complex as the description notes: "In the center of the ellipse is a single strong Live Oak Tree. Beyond is seen the Gulf of Mexico, with vessels in the distance. In front of and near the foot of the Oak is a piece of Field Artillery. Beyond the gun, and resting against the boll of the Oak, is seen a stand of six colors-the Confederate and State Flags to the front. To the left of the Field Piece are Four Muskets stacked. To the right and near, balls piled and a drum."

The timing of the introduction of the flag, in the closing weeks of Governor Perry's administration, is interesting. It would appear that the flag was produced mainly to comply with the legislative directive. There are no indications that the incoming governor, John Milton, made any attempts to promote his predecessor's state flag design, or to produce and distribute multiple flags. The lack of a state flag tradition, combined with the difficulty of reproducing a rather complex seal design, were no doubt factors working against the production of more flags. Additionally, the delay in choosing a design, along with the rise of southern nationalism and the popularity of the Confederate first national flag, further undercut the demand for a state flag. No further period references have been found to this state flag or to its use. There is a distinct possibility that no additional state flags were produced, beyond the one official example. This flag is not known to have survived and the illustration is based on the written description.

In mid-January 1861, Colonel William H. Chase, the commander of Florida troops in Pensacola who were loyal to the South, raised this lone star emblem as the state's provisional military flag.  Colonel Chase's soldiers had seized the federal navy yard in Pensacola during the crisis preceding the outbreak of the Civil War.  The flag bears the same design as that used by the navy of the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1845.

Special thanks to the Florida Department of State Division of Historical Resources web site.  All the information above about Florida in the Civil war was copied from Their web site.  The site is located at: http://dhr.dos.state.fl.us/museum/civwar/02.html