Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-03-29
McSl.ELLAN'S DREAM.

ne IoiloWlhS IL IToW TIE pen ol 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 his country"
Two o'clock Of the third night after
General McClelan's arrival in Washington
to take command OF tie United States
army, found that justly celebrated soldier
poring over several maps and reports Of
scouts. As the hour came tolling through
the night, together with the dull rumbling
of army wagons and artillery wheels, the
wearied hero, pushing from his maps and
reports, leaned his forehead on his folded
arms, and fell into a sleep so deep that
even the occasional booming Of the heavy
guns, being placed in position on the in-
trenchments, was insui6cien to disturb it.
:" could not have been slumbering thus
more than ten minutes" said the Genera
to an intimate friend, to whom he related
the strange narrative, "whe thought
the door Of my room, which bad careful
ly locked, was thrown suddenly open, and
some one strobe to nc, and laying hand
upon my shoulder. said, il slow, solemn
voice:
General Mcclellan, do you sleep at
your post? Rouse you, or ere it can be
prevented, the foe will be in Washington =
Never before in my life have heard
voice possessing the commanding and even
terrible tone of the one thst addressed to
me these words. And the sensation that
passed through me, as it fell upon my ears,
and covering shrunk into myself at the
thought of my own negligence, can
only compare to the whistling. shriekino
sweep of a storm of grape shot DISCHARGED
directly through my brain. l could not
move, however, though ! tried hard to
raise my head from the table. As sense
of my willingness, and yet hopeiessness to
make All answer to the unknown intruder,
oppressed me, once more heard the same
slow, solemn voice repeat:
/" Gen. Mcclellan, do You sleep at your
yost p
There was peculiarly atout Il t4ls
tine; it seemed as though Ia mere atom
Of matter-was suspended ~ lae centre of
an inhnte ar4ye ae1a ttea. The voice came
from hollow distance all around me. As
the last word was uttered, | regained by
some felt aud yet unknown power, my VIC.
lition, and with the change, the grape shot
discharge sensation ceased, and strange
but new one seize! my heart, one as if
huge rough icicle was being saved back
and forth through and through me.
| started up, or rather | should say
thought started up, for whether was
awake Or asleep, l am unable to decide.
My first thought was about my maps, aid
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 crumplcd in my tightening
clutch, were still before me, but everything
e se had disappeared. The furniture was
gone. the walls of the apartment were
gone, the ceiling was not to be seen. All
saw was the tableau l am about to de.
scribe to you,
My gaze was turned Southwark, and
there, spread out before me, was living
map; yes, living map; that is the only
expression l can think of as betting the
scene. In one grand coup d'nii, my eye
took in the whole expanse Of country, as
far South as the Gulf of Mexico, and from
the Atlantic Ocean on the East, to the
Mississippi river westwardly.
Before fully fixing my attention upon
the immense scene, however, thought of
the mysterious visitant whose voice l
had heard but moment previous, and
looked towards him. An apparition stood
on my left, somewhat in front, at dis
tance of about six feet from me. Isoueht
Tor his features, hoping to recognize him.
But was disappointed, for the statue like
figure was naught but vapor, cloud,
having only the general outlines Of man.
This troubled me, and was turning the
matter over in my mind, when the shad.
owy visitor, in the same slow, solemn tone
as before, said:
Gen. Mcclellan, your time is short
Look to the Southward Z
felt unable 70 resiet the command.
even had wished to do so, and again,
there, my eyes we're cast on the living map,
Out on the Atlantic saw the various
vessels Of the blockading squadron loom
ing up with the most perfect distinctness
in the bright moonshine, that Illuminated