Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-03-28
Gen. McClellan's Dream.

The following is from the pen of Wesley
Bradshaw, Esq, and makes fitting COM
panion to Washington's Vision,' which
sketch, written by the same author, at the
commencement of our National difficulties
was widely copied by the press. and COM
mended by Hon. Edward Everett, as
teaching highly important lesson to
every true lover of mis- country Exchange
Two o'clock of the third night after
General McClellan's arrival in Washington
to take command of the United States
army, found that justly celebrated soldier
toring over several maps and reports Of
scouts. As the hour came toling through
the night, together with the dull rumbling
of army wagons, and artillery wheels, the
wearied hero, pushing from him his maps
and reports, leaned his forehead on his fold
ed arms upon the table before him, and fell
into sleep, SO deep that even the occa-
sional booming of the heavy guns, being
was insufficient 10 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 my room, which / had carefully
locked, was thrown suddenly open, and some
one strobe to me, and, laying a hand upon
my shoulder, said, in a low, solemn voice
Gen Mcclellan, do you sleep at your
post? Rouse you, or e'er it can be prevent
ed, the foe will be in Washington
Never before In my life have heard
voice possessing the commanding and even
terrible tone of the one that addressed to me
these words. And the sensation that pas
sed through meas it fell upon my ears, and
l 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 direct
ly through my brain. / could not move,
however, although tried to raise my head
from the table. As a sense of my wiling
ness, and yet helplessness TO make an an-
swer 10 the unknown intruder, oppressed
me, once more heard the same slow SOL
emn voice repeat
General Mcclellan, do you sleep at
your post p
There was popularity about il this
time; il seemed as though la mere atom
of matter-was suspended from the centre
of an infinite space, and that the voice came
from hollow distance all around me. As
the last word was uttered, regained by
some fell and unknown power, my volition,
and with the change. the grapesshot-dis-
charge sensation in my brain ceased, and
strange but new one seized my heart, one
as if huge, rough icicle was being sawed
back and forth through and through me.
l started up, or rather | should say /
thought ! 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 /
crdmpled in my Tightening clu.ch, were still
before me. but everything else hsd disap- |
peared. The furniture was gone, the walls
of tile apartment were gone, the ceiling was /
not 10 be seen, All saw was the ;EtIeau /
am about 10 describe to you.
NJ gaze was turned Southwark, and
there, spread out before re, was living
map; yes, living map; that is the only
expression can think Of as beiitiing the