Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-01-16
GEN. McCLELLAN'S DREAM.
ny WESLEY BRADSHAW.

ound that justly ccieora'eu soio's' pouring
,yer several maps, and reports of scouts. s
As the hour came tolliug through the
light, together with the dull rumbling OF
army wagons and artillery wheels, the wea- {
ried hero, pushing from rim his maps and
reports, leaned his forehead on bis folded
arms upon the table before him, and fell into
q sleep so deep that even the occasional boom
ing of the heavy guns, being placed in posi-
tion OF, the intrenchmsnts, was insufficient
to disturb it.
81 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 nv room, which had carefully locked
vas thrown suddenly open, and some one
.trode to me- and, laying hand upon my
shoulder, said, in slow, solemn voice:
"Gen. Mcclellan, do you sleep at your
nosta Rouse qo,t, or ere 1t can be prevented,
the foe ,ciu be on Washington| /
"Never before in my life have l heard
voice possessing the commanding and even
terrible tone of the one that addressed to me
these fearful words. And the sensation that
passed through me, as it fell upon my ears,
and coweringly shrunk into myself at the
thought of my own negligence, can only
compare to the whistling, shrieking sweep
of a storm of grape-shot, discharged directly
through nv brain. could not move how
ever, although tried hard to raise my head
from the table. As sense Of my willing
ness and yet helplessness to make answer to
the unknown intruder oppressed me, once
! more heard that same slow, solen voice re-
peat:
mGeaeral Nc Clellan, do you sleep at your
postT
There was a popularity about it this time;
it seemed as though Ia mere atom OF mat
ter-was suspended in the centre Of an inf
mite space, and thst the voice came from
hollow distance all around me. AS the last
word was uttered l regained, by some Jelt
and yet unknown power, my volition, and
with the change. the grape-shot-discharge
sensation in my brain ceased, and strange
) but new one seized my heart; one as OF
: huge, rough icicle being sawed back and
forth through and through me.
IL started up, or rather | should say
thought started up, for whether l was a.
wake or asleep Am utterly unable to decide.
Ny first thought was about my maps and,
, before my eyelids had halt opened my hand
was grasping them. But this was all. The
table was still before me, and the maps, all
crumpled in my tightening clutch, were still
J before me. but everything else had dlsap-
! peared. The furniture WAS gone, the walls
of the apartment were gone, the ceiling was
not to be seen. All l saw was the tableau
am about to describe to you.
"My gaze was turned Sonthward, ane
there spread out before me, was a ltr'ng map
t yes, living map, that is the only expression
, I can think of as BETTING the scene. 1E ont
grand coup doeI my eye took in the whole
}. expanse of country, as far South as the Gul
t of Mexico, and from the Atlantic ocean OF
), the east to the Mississippi river westwardly
: "Before fully fixing my attention upor
c the immense scene, however, thought of tn
g mysterious vsitant, whose voice l had heart
but L.oment previous, and looked towart
Q him. An appar.tion stood on my left, some
e what in front, at distance of about six fec
from mo. I sought for his features, hopinl
!. to recognize him. But was disappointed
. for the statue-like figure was naught but
y vapor, cloud, having only the general out
. lines of man.
This troubled me- and was turning IL:
J. matter over 10 my mind, when the shadow
visitor. in the same slow, solemn tone as be
fore, said:
"'General Mcclellan, your time is short
Look to the SouthaoardP =
It ~ felt unable to resist this command, eve
'f had ! wished to do so, and again, therefore
D. my eyes were cast over the living map.
d "Out on the Atlantic saw the variou
Is vessels Of the blockading squadron loomin
i ND with the most perfect distinctness in tn
d bright moonshine, that illumined everythin
: with strong, but mellow light. l 'a'
l. Charleston Harbor and its forts, with the
:, pacing sentinels, and their sullen-lookin
Is bsrbette guns. My eyes followed the Ocea
h line all the way round into the Gulf, to Ne
h Orleans and thence up the Mississippi. Fo
h Pickens, and, in fact, every fortiication
It long this water boundary. l beheld with
e much d:stinctness, as you, sir, see that Co
& pora's guard passing there.
n "This sight filled mo with delightful Sill
prise; but it would be utterly impossible II
j. me to describe the ecstatic amazement thi
Is followed, as, within the mits mention, N
At eyes took in, in minute, but lishtninG-hi
10 detail, every mountain range, every BIZ
'' every valley, every forest, every meado'
50 every river, every rivuIst, every city, eve'
10 village, every camp, every tent, every Doc
ef of men, every sentinel, every earthwor
every cannon, and, may say, dispensiI
with further detail, every living and eve
dead thing, no matter what its height
| LII