The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-26
.1-pERNATURAL VISION
OF DEATH.
Remarkable Case Of
HENRY POLLARD.

n the Dublin University Magazine for
4 r.7embcr 1868 we clip the following re-
-.-ksble account Of q supernatural vision
death. The extract is taken from an ar
4 .~'e entitled More Ghosts Old and Ne,o.
The events am about 10 relate occurred
"a distance Of about eight hundred miles
,,,-t One at Alta Vista, the residence OF
Major Richard Pollard, in the Green Noun
,.;os Of Alhemarle county, Va. the other
4 frontier military post of the United
4 safes on the western boundary of Texas
~ rs now, incorporated in the Union. A
4 l.,schmcnt Of about two hundred men Of
y. Ninth regiment of infantry, and few
--rons, were there in garrison, with the
-.4, complement of officers. Amongst the
r~cr was Lieutenant Henry Pollard, re-
-s-kab|v fine and intelligent young man
3. shout twenty-five years Of age. Towards
,io close of the day of the 18th Of May,
,,24, the clear ringing notes Of bugle an
.,rnred the hour of dinner, and immedi-
,.e'y after the officers were gathered round
no mess-tablc. buoyant with health, and
n their accustomed harmony and good
fs"aw,hip-condition under which they
hero met for the last time.
Al,a Vista occupies the summit Of an
a,sv,,jon which commands charming
low across the Green Mountains west
xsrjlv 10 the Blue Ridge and to the south
ward and eastward, on a clear day, can be
..ag Mount Laurel, within the borders Of
,-a contiguous State Of Kentucky. About
half . mile from the house, on the north
..le, runs the public road, while surround
n, is an extensive park, scattered over
With profusion of spruce and locust trees.
Artors, composed of cane, spring up here
and there and as they are the resort OF
members Of the family for reading, study
j1g. or playing, the house servants have
,sEen them under their especial charge.
Ttcy levvte 10 them unremitting care and
attention; thev have trained over and
al8ntthcm flower bearing vines and creep
-. which ditiuse an agreeable fragrance,
rendering them at the same time i'm
pe-yious 10 rain and TO the suns rays.
4, the south side, beyond the lawn,
!. the garden-always neatly kept, and
well filled with the choicest shrubs and
a9wers, amongst which shines conspicuously
TIE Yellow rose. All the immediate grounds
a:0at the house are enclosed within an or
a.mcutal paling of wood, gravel walk:
giving access TO gates at various points
In ample piazza runs the length OF the
main building, which has wings at either
ez.remity, that on the south being the
rrarv and schooI-room for the children
that on the north is now known as my
r@m, from my having always occupied il
when visiting Alta Vista before my mar
riare.
From the porch in the centre of the piazza
broad gravel walk leads straight through
the lawn 10 the principal gate of entrance
t5tac r4rk. Its bounded, as all the others
are Iy 4 low hedge Of aromatic shrubs
and h5wers. About half mile off, in a
s5uthprly direction, are rows Of negro
cabins, and within convenient distance OF
them stands two-story brick house, occu-
pied by the overseer Of the plantation and
Lis family.
it the time now referred to Major Pol
lard was absent at Santiago, in Chilli, where
be had tecn sent BY the United States Go
ycrmuent on q special mission, which in
VOWED separation for the capture Of the
:yjgnte Essex, Commodore Porter, within
The Aarhor Of Valparaiso, in the war of
i>ll'l4, by two English vessels-the
l-p5e and Cherub. This action was
sa.g4t within gunshot Of the batteries of
he port, and witnessed by thousands of
spectators who crowded the shores. 1t
Was uuequallcd by any of the war for the
lcr'iDari;y Of the attack and defence.
Noen Commodore Porter ordered his colors
i9tesrack, and surrendered himself a pri-
s.lcg Of war on board the Phnbe, very few
q. his men we're left fit for duty, nearly
every otiiccr was disabled, and not less than
oLg AuIdrcJ and forty of'the crew were
auei outright, or seriously wounded. Such
aA-mter, IN proportion, is not recorded in
"1y other naval engagement. The Essex
"2s reduced almost 10 perfect wreck.
During the absence of her husband, Mrs.
Pollard, leaving the entire management of
the plantation to the overSeers, occupied
herself with the education of her children,
who were under the tuition OF the Rev. Mr..
Brown, a gentleman from Massachusetts.
tie Was profound scholar, and being with
2-t church, had accepted the office of tu-
'2T IA the family, remaining in it, inclu-
41g residence at Oak Ridge, between
sight aud nine years. As now, Mrs. Pol
Ar! had then great fondness for flowers,
@1irasstl much Of her time amongst them -
.Aag Of wonderfully pleasing and grace
!U1 manners, Of a highly cultivated mind,
and particularly free from anything Of a
salefatitIous nature. l mention this for
evident reasons, which will appear in con-
9etnon with this story. She was in the
aao!t Of rising early, and, attended by some
u the female servants of the house, would
frequently pass an hour or more before
o'eaktast IL the garden and the grounds ad-
accent. ~ this time she was III the prime
u ME, aud retained much of that personal
o'aQ'y Tor which in her premiere JeuneSSe
s4e Aad teen remarkable.
,.a. a.e early morning Of the 18th of May,
-s''' was one Of those for which the spring
S'asgo III that part of Virginia is perhaps
-'"4ere e4cellcd. Nothing can surpass
we delicious s0ftness Of May day break IN
|e Ifceu Mountains. You see an almost
l'01.ess SKY, and are conscious Of tenn
Es!a'aie Yo!uptuously soft and tranquil
lug. ~ The fragrance of a thousand flowers
"''o NE ar. AT intervals you may hear,
!! 70 present q more striking interest,
'-' noes o! "songster Of the grove" or
,1s tanning Of gentle breeze may stir the
I'''eo and branches Of encircling woods.
prefer 70 give, as received from Mrs. Pol
:aIGa own lips, and as nearly as possible
n; ~ Aer own words, what now follows, de-
Ifered with an uncomfortable emotion,
%a amen frequently interrupted the thread of
VIC narration.
left the house." she said, "on the
s1"hing above indicated quite early, be-
;"'e ., az | noticed by the clock when pass
,Ds through the hall. / crossed the lawn
" We garden, and not seeing uncle Ben
sol' OF the negro gardeners), | expressed
sttLIIee as he was 1.suallu yery rennlar al