Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1862-03-07

LUuh w bHO oOuIb
felt unable to resist the command,
even had | wished to do so, and again,
therefore, my eyes we're cast on the living
map.
Out on the Atlantic I saw the various
vessels of the blockading squadron LOOM
ing up with the most perfect distinctness
in the bright moonshine, that illumined
everything with strong but mellow light.
| saw Charleston harbor and its forts. with
their pacing sentinels, and their sullen
looking barbette guns. My eyes followed
the ocean line all the way round into the
Gulf, to New Orleans, and thence up the
Mississippi. Fort Pickens, and in fact,
every fortifcation along this water boun-
Diary, | boheld with as much distinctness
as you, sir, see that Corp"rals guard pas
sing there.
This sight filled me with delightful sur
prise; but it Is utterly impossible tor
me to describe the ccstatic amazement that
followed, as within the limits mention,
my eyes took in, in minute but lightning
like detail, every mountain range, every
hill every valley, every forest, every mea.
dow, every river, every city, every camp,
every body of men, every sentinel every
ear.hwork, every cannon, and may say
dispensing with further detail. every liv.
ing and every dead thing, no matter what
its bulk or height.
My blood seemed to stop in its chan
nels, with joy, as thought that thu
knowledge, and thereby advantage, thus
given to me. would insure a speedy anc
happy termination of the war, And thi
one idea was engrossing my mind, whcr
once more, that slow, solemn voice, said
General Mcclellan. take your map
and note what you behold, Tarry not
your time is short
| started, and glancing at the unearth
ly speaker. saw him extend his arm anc
point southwardly.
Still | saw no features. Smoothin.
out tho largest and most accurate one o
my maps, seized a pencil, and once NOR,
bent my gaze out over the living map
as | looked this time. cold thrilling
chill ran over me, and the huge rougl
icicle began again its saving motio1
through my heart. For, as pencil in han,
compared the map before me and tn,
living map, and saw masses of the enc
my's forces being buried to certain point
so as to thwart movements that within
day or two, intended to make at thos
identical points; while on two particula
approaches to Washington, behvld heav
columns of the foe posted for concentra
ted attack, and instantly saw must sue
ceed in its object unless speedily prever
ted.
| Treachery treachery = cried | in dc
spair. And, as before my blood SCENE
to stop in its channels for joy, it now di
so for fear. Ruin and defeat seemed t
stare me in the face. At this dreadfu
moment, that same slow, solemn voic
struck once more upon my ears, saying:
General Mcclellan, you have been b.
trayed. and had not God willed othcrws,
ere the sun of tomorrow had set, the Cor
federate flag would have foatcd above tn
Capitol and your own grave. But moi
what you see. Your time is short. Ia,
ry not p
Ere the words had left the lips of IN
vapory mentor, my pencil was flying wit
the speed of thought, transferring to til
: map before me all that | saw upon I'll
living MP. Some mysterious and III
, earthly influence was upon Inc, and note
and recorded the minutest point | behel
without the slightest effort, delay, or mi
take. At last the task was done, and m
pencil dropped from my fingers.
For a while previous to this, howcve
, | had become conscious that there was
{ shining of light on my left, that steadil
| increased until the moment ceased nj
: task, when it became in an instant moi
' intense than the monday sun. Quiekl
{ | raised my ey s. and never. we're |
) live forever, will / forget what | sa,
a III L. Il .I1,v,, 4