In this battle the battle flag of the Thirtieth regiment was
captured; the color bearer was that brave young' soldier
boy, David Worsham, who was never heard of after the
battle. There are conflicting reports as to his fate. One
that he was killed and the flag torn to pieces, another
that after being wounded he tore the flag from its staff,
and tried to save it by thrusting it into his bosom. This
is partially corroborated by the reports of the Federal
officers, found in Series L, Volume 45, Part I, of the
records of the rebellion, which show that several strands
of colors were captured, and in one instance the color-
bearer, being wounded, tried to tear his colors from the
staff, but was captured. Lieut. Jesse Anthony, of Com-
pany E, says that on the day after the battle he with
other captured officers was in the second story, of a
building, in Nashville, and saw a lot of wounded Con-
federate prisoners marched through the .streets, and
among them he recognized David Worsham. It is very
probable that he died in the hospital at Nashville, as he
was never heard of after the war. The flag was captured
by either the 5th Minnesota, or the Uth Missouri regi-
ment. The writer has written several letters hoping to
recover the flag, but his efforts have proven unsuccess-
ful, so far. The battle was lost, arid the remnant of
Hood's little army retreated South being closely pressed
by the victorious yankees, and had it not been for the
skill shown by the officers in command of the rear guard,
the whole of them would have been captured. To show
how the ranks had been depleted, the seven brigades
selected to protect the rear of the army, only numbered
1,600 men. This little band was under command of Gen.
