SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) - A large Confederate flag flying alongside I-85 in Spartanburg County is getting a lot of attention.
7NEWS did some checking and found out the Confederate flag is owned by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
While flying the Confederate flag is not illegal, Spartanburg County Leader David Britt said the flagpole violates the 1999 Land Use Ordinance which "regulates accessory uses ie..flagpoles on the property where there is no principal use."
Britt said a flagpole without a principle such as a house or business is not allowed in Spartanburg County.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans were cited and have 20 days to either remove the flagpole or obtain a permit for a principal use of the property.
In response to the citation the Sons of Confederate Veterans released the following statement:
In Petersburg, Virginia, the July 30th, 1864 pre-dawn stillness was shattered by a
massive explosion opening the Union attack upon Confederate defenses. The
Battle of the Crater ensued, and by the end of the day Spartanburg County lost
more men in a single day of war than she had ever before. That explosion was
underneath the 18th and 22nd South Carolina Regiments. These units, mostly
from the Upstate of South Carolina, experienced immediate and devastating
losses. At the end of the day, only 1 man answered roll call from 18th S.C.
Infantry Company A, only 2 from 22nd S.C. Infantry Company B, and only 3 from
22nd S.C. Company C.
The Adam Washington Ballenger Camp 68 of the Sons Of Confederate Veterans
recently erected a large flag pole on its property along I-85 for the purpose of
remembering and honoring those soldiers who answered the call of South
Carolina during the War Between the States and never returned. More than 250
of them were killed instantly in this one Union offense.
These soldiers, killed-in-action or missing-in-action, gave their all to their beloved
State. We remember and honor them by flying a variety of historical flags under
which they fought. This includes the flag of the State of South Carolina that flew
on the pole for the past months. Camp 68 is currently flying the Confederate
Naval Jack and will continue to alternate the flags that it flies. The Camp looks
forward to providing an array of historical flags and hopes that their presence
spurs further interest of our citizens in the rich history of Spartanburg County and
South Carolina.
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