e the spirits of the troops, and asked
her if she would give him a piece of the apron as a souvenir of the
incident. "Yes, certainly," she replied, "you may have it all," and in
her enthusiasm she tore it off, not waiting to unbutton it, and handed
it to the officer, who said it should be the flag of his company as
long as it was upon Maryland soil.

"Let me be the color-bearer, captain," said young Watkins, who was by
his side; "I promise to protect it with my life." Fastening it to a
staff he resumed his place at the head of the company, which was in
the front squadron of the regiment.

Later in the evening, in obedience to an order brought by a courier,
the Eleventh Cavalry moved at a gallop in the direction of
Williamsport, whence the roll of musketry and report of cannon had
been heard for some time, and, rejoining the brigade, was engaged in a
desperate struggle to prevent the Federal cavalry from destroying the
wagons of the whole army, which, the river being unfordable, were
halted and parked at this point, their principal defence against the
whole cavalry force of the enemy being the teamsters and stragglers
that General Imboden had organized. The Eleventh Cavalry charged the
battery in front of them, this gallant boy with his apron flag riding
side by side with those who led the charge. The battery was taken and
retaken, and then taken again, before the Federals withdrew from the
field, followed in the direction of Boonsboro', until darkness covered
their retreat. In those desperate surges many went down on both sides,
and it was not until after it was over that men thought of their
comrades and inquiries were made of the missing. The captain of
Company D, looking over the field for the killed and wounded, found
young Watkins lying on the ground, his head supported by the surgeon.
In reply to his question, "was he badly hurt?" he answered, "Not much,
captain, but _I've got the flag!_" and, putting his hand in his bosom,
he drew out the little apron and gave it to the officer. When asked
how it came there, he said that when he was wounded and fell from his
horse the Federals were all around him, and to prevent them from
capturing it he had torn it from the staff and hid it in his bosom.

The surgeon told the captain, aside, that his leg was shattered by a
large piece of shell, which was imbedded in the bone; that amputation
would be necessary, and he feared the wound was mortal. "But," he
added, "he has been