CHAPTER XI.

LIEUT. GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN, AND THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER.

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The Eighty-Eighth Regiment, Illinois-Its Noble Commanding Offi- Its Course on Leaving Chicago - Stone River - Preparations for Battle-Plan of Attack - Battle Opens-Rosecrans and Sheridan-Palmer's Bravery - Desperate Engagement - Great Loss of Life-Council of War - Fresh Attack-Hand-to-hand Fight - The Enemy routed and Flees - The Enemy's Winter Quarters — A Journey to Stone River - Besieging the Post-Office-Desolate Journey Load of "Feds" captured by Guerrillas - My Flight in the Forest — Meet my Husband's Coffin - My Warning-A Noble Young Soldier- Our Return - The brave Eighty-Eighth at the Battle of Stone River-Its Resolutions on the Death of Coatsworth - Also from Chicago Medical Fraternity - A noble Letter from the Eighty-Eighth Regiment.

No name stands higher on the list of daring deeds than that of Phil. Sheridan, the bold rider of the Shenandoah. In the brief space at our disposal, and while the press awaits us, it would be more than useless to attempt any detailed biographical sketch of the greatest cavalry officer of the war, and in some respects the greatest executive genius. His deeds were so bold, so dazzling, so brilliant; his manner was so forcible and dashing, and his connection with the closing scenes of the war which gave the coup de grace to treason, so intimate, that they not only prominently attracted attention at that time but have remained fixed in the nation's memory, so indelibly that any repetition of them now would be