The flag in Kirby-Smith Confederate Park flies in honor of all Confederate soldiers, and specifically to remember the over 15,000 soldiers in the Confederate war effort. Approximately 5,000 Floridians (about one out of every three soldiers) died or were killed in Confederate service. While this was a small number when compared with other southern states, it was the highest percentage of available men of military age from any Confederate state. Florida troops were organized into eleven regiments of infantry; two regiments of cavalry; and numerous smaller units, including artillery, home-guard, and militia. Many of those who survived were disabled or had their lives shortened due to health problems related to the hardships of military service. As the sons of these gallant men, Kirby-Smith Camp #1209, along with the numerous benefactors and supporters of this flag, believe that it is our duty to see that the true history of the South is presented to future generations.
The preservation of liberty and freedom guaranteed by our forefathers and embodied in the US Constitution of 1788, motivated these men to leave their loved ones and take up arms, and driven by duty and honor, they answered the call to defend their State from invasion. Their noble attributes are the underpinning of our society and represent the foundation on which this nation was built. These citizen-soldiers of all races, creeds, and faiths, who fought for the Confederacy, personified the best qualities of America.