The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-14
Shade OF, First President
Warned General M'( lellan
ofsl9l7 Dangers in Vision

A remarkable account Of visios
in which the shade of George WASH
Iington appeared to General George b
Mcclellan, commander or 1.-THE Unior
armies In 1859. and warned him not
only of the second battle of Bull Run
and tho plans OF the iConfederates. bu
Also Of the crisis which the United
States now faces has been rescued b,
james X. Hackett. the actor from tht
files Of the Evening Courier of Port
land. Maine. n
In his supposed story of the vision
General Mcclellan relates that WASH
ington warned him that the United
States would pass through ono more
great war after the struggle over Sc
ccssion before achieving n permanent
peace and Mndispnted sovereignty This
crisis. the actor thinks may be at hand.
In transmitting for publication the
following clipping from the Courier
of March 8: 1862. Mr.. Hackett writes:
III were not a Player, would not
add what | am about to dictate and
that Is this I desire no publicity re-
garding this communication unless you
believe 1t to be compatible with the
subject. But do remember that the
great Rev. DIR. MccAynrS once said. BE-
cause am a priest, I ilra no less a
man. and ! might add that because
am an actor in the opinion of my
friends. am no less an American citi-
zen.' and as Son of the American
Revolution I deem it my duty to sub
NIT this for your consideration
] The story OF the, VISION follows:
The following is from the pen OF
Wesley Bradshaw. ESQ.,. and. makes a
fitting companion 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 commended
by Hon. Edward Everett. as Teaching
a highly important lesson to every
true lover of his country" (Exchange).
Two o'clock of the third night after
General McClellan's arrival in Wash
ington to take command of the United
brated soldier roring over scvera!
maps and reports of scouts AS the
hour came tolling through the night,
together with the dull rumbling of
wagon and artillery wheels. the
wearied hero. pushing from him his
maps and reports, leaned his forehead
on his folded arms upon the table be-
fore him, and fell into a sleep SO deep
that even the occasional booming Of
the heavy guns. being placed In posi-
ton on the entertainments, was insult
ficient to disturb it.
Il could not have slumbered more
than ten minutes" said the general to
an intimate friend. to whom he mar
rated the strange narrative. "when
thought. the door of my room. which
had carefully locked. was suddenly
thrown open and someone strobe up to
me and laying hand on my shoulder
said in a slow, solemn voice:
]" General Mcclellan. do YOU sleep al
i your post? Rouse YOU. or ere it car
be prevented, the foe will be in Wash.
lington!
Suspended in IAidair.
There was popularity about it n
this time. It seemed rs though I. {
fmere atom of water, was suspended il
1.-The center of an infinite spnce. ant
that the voice came from n hollow dis
. lance all around me. As the last wore
was uttered, i regained. by some Eel
and yet unknown, power. my volition
and with this change the grapesho
discharge sensation in my brain ceased
and a strange hut new one seized m.
heart. one as If huge rough icicle wa
being sawed back and forth through
and through me.
, II started up. or rather l should sa,
thought started up. for whether
was awake or asleep | am unable t
decide. My first thought was abou
my maps. and before my eyelids ha
: hal fopened my hand was glmspin
them. But this was all. The table wa
still before me Mnd maps all crample
in my tightening clutch were still be
fore me, but everything else has dis
appeared. The furniture was gone. tn
walls Of the apartment were gone, tn
!, ceiling was not to be seen. All sa,
was the tableau am about to descrih
Ito you.
A Living Map.
MY gaze was turned southwark an
/ there, spread out before me, was liy
: ing map: yes, a living map: that Is tn
0 Ionly expression can think of as be
: fitting the scene. In one grand cou
e DOLL my eve took in the whole expans
o Of country as far south az the gulf
0 Mexico and from the Atlantic ocean G
II the east to the Mississippi river ives
r wardly.
). Before fully fixing my attentie
Il upon the immense scene. however,
e thought of Tire mysterious visital
whose voice l had heard but IA m,
ment previous and ! looked towal
- him An acrarition atood IN m la,