The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-03-04
General McCIelian's Dream.

General McCIelian,s Dream.
The following is from the pen of Wes-
ley Bradshaw, Esq, and makes fitting
| companion to Washington Vision, F."
which sketch, written by the same au-
thor, at the commencement of our Ma
tional difficulties, was widely copied by
the press, and commended by Hon Ed
ward Everett, as teaching highly i'm
portant lesson to every true lover Of bis
country ''-ErcAange
Two O'Clock of the third night after
General McClelan's arrival in Washing
ton to take command ofthe United States
army, found that justly celebrated sol
dier poring over several maps and re
ports Of scouts. As the hour came toll
ing through the night, together with the
dull rumbling of army wagons and ar
tilleiy wheels, the wearied hero, pushing
away his maps and reports, leaned his
forehead on his folded arms upon the Ia
bic before him. and fell into sleep so
deep that even the occasional booming Of
the heavy guns, being placed in position
on the intrenchments, was insufficient to
disturb it.
L could not have been slumbering
thus more than ten minutes" said the
General to an intimate friend, TO whom
he related the strange narrative, "when
| thought the door of my room, which |
had carefully locked, was thrown sud
denly open, and some one strobe to me.
and laying a hand upon my shoulder,
said, in a slow, solemn voice
General Nc CleIlan, do you sleep al
your post? Rouse you, or ere ii can be
prevented, The foe will be in Washing
ton
Never before in my life have l heard
voice possessing the commanding and
even terrible tone OF the one that ad-
dressed TO me these words. Aud the
sensation that passed through me, as il
fell upon my ears. and coweringlv
shrunk into myself at the thought of my
own negligence, | can only compare to
the whisillng, shrieking sweep Of storm
of grape shot, discharged directly
through my brain could not move,
however, although | tried hard to raise
my head from the table. ASS sense Of
my willingness, and yet helplessness, 10
make an answer to the unknown intruder,
oppressed me, | once more heard the
same slow, solemn voice repeat
General Nc Clelian, do you sleep at
your post 2
There was a popularity about il this
time il seemed as though Ia mere
atom of water-was suspended in the
centre OF an infinite space, and that the
voice came from hollow distance all
around me. As the last word was utter
ed, | regained by some felt aud yet un.
known power, my volition, aud with the
change the grape shot discharge sensa
ton IN my brain ceased, and a strange
but new one seized my heart, one as ii
huge, rough icicle was being sawed back
and forth through and through me.
| started up, or rather | should say
thought l started up; for whether | was
awake or asleep, | am unable to decide.
My first thought was about my maps
and before my eyelids had half opened.
my hand Was grasping them. But this
was all. The table was still before me.
and the maps all crumpled in my tighten
ing clutch, were still before me, bur
everything else had disappeared The
furniture was gone, the walls of the a
partment We're gone, the ceiling was not
10 be seen. All saw was the tableau
| am about TO describe TO You.
My gaze was turned Soulhward, and
there, spread out before me, was a liy-
ing map yes, living map thatis the
only expression | can think of rs beft-
ting the scene. In one grand coup d'oR
my eye took in the whole expanse OF
country, as far South as the GuliofMex
leo, and from the Atlantic Ocean on the
East, to the Mississippi river westward
ly
Before fully fixing my attention upoa
the immense scene, however. | thought
OF the mysterious ylsitant, whose voice
bad heard but a moment pre-, ious, and
looked toward him. An appari,ion stood
on my left, somewhat in front, at dist
anee OF about six feet lom me.
sought for his features. hoping 10 recog-
nlze him. But was disappointed, for
the statue like figure was naught but a
vapor, cloud having only the general
outlines Of man. This troubled me.
and | was turning the matter over in my
mind, when the shaiowy visitor 10 The
same slow. solemn tone as before, said
General Mcclellan, your lme is
short Look to the Soulhward =
| felt unable 10 resist the command
even had | wished to do So, and again.
therefore, my eyes We're east on The lv
Ing map,
Out on the Atlantic | saw the various
vessels Of the bloekading squadron loom
ing up with The most perfect disineluess
~ the bright mooushine, that itIumiaat
ed everything with strong. but mellow
light. | saw Charleston harbor aud its
forts. with their. pacing sen,iuels, and
their sul!en looking barbeue guns. Ny