Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-04-09
McClellan's Vision

McClellan's Vision
(PubNshed by request)
The story Of this dream or vision va
told by Gen. George B. Mcclellan to
reporter Of tho "Portland (Ae.l Evenin
Courier" and printed In that paper ol
March 9th, 1852. The story follow
(though much condensed from the re
porter's version) a. told by the Genera
himself:
At two O'Clock on the third night afte
my arrival in Washington to take com
mand of the q. 8. Army I sat ut m.
table looking over some maps. fel
asleep with my head lying on my foldet
arms. I could not have slumbered NOR
than ten minutes, when I thought th'
door Of my room, which had CAREFUL!
locked, was suddenly thrown open, ant
some one strobe up to me, and laid I
hand on my shoulder and said In Q slow
solemn voice, Seen. Mcclellan, do yoI
sleep at your postp" / thought 1 started
up, and the voice went on. "Rouse you
or ere 1t can be prevented the foe will bt
in Washingtonr"
Again l thought I started up, but
could not raise my head from the table
As . sense Of my willingness and yei
helplessness to make an answer op
pressed me, once more heard the same
slow, solemn voice repeat: "Gen. Mo
Clellan! Do you sleep ct your post?''
As the last word was uttered regsined
by some felt, but unknown power, my
volition and my first thought was of my
maps.
They were there, spread out before
me on my table, but every thing else was
gone-the walls of the house were gone,
and all I saw was the tableau I will de-
scribe to you. Ny gaze was turned
southwark and there, spread ont before
me was living map. In one grand pic
ture my eye took In the whole expanse
of country a. far south as the Gulf 0l
Mexico, and from the Atlantic Ocean on
the east to the Mississippi River west.
wardly. I turned, wondering what all
this could mean and saw the shape OF q
man In q cloud-like vspor-when the
shadowy visitor said In the same slow,
solemn tones as before "Gen. Mcclellan,
your time is short. Look to the south
ward"
Again my eyes were cast on the living
map, and my eyes took in every hill,
valley, forest, river, road, city, village,
every fort, camp, tent, body of men,
every sentinel, earthwork, cannon, every.
thing. Again heard the voice-"Gen.
Mcclellan, take your map and note what
you behold. Tarry not; your time is
short"
I started, and glaucing at the unearth-
ly speaker, l saw him extend bis arm
southwark. saw the masses of the
enemy's forces being hurried to certain
points 30 as to thwart movements that
within day or two intended to make
at those identical points, while on two
particular approaches to Washington l
beheld heavy columns posted for con-
centrated attack that I instantly saw
must succeed In its object unless speed
lily prevented. "Treachery! TreacheryP'
cried I in despair.
At this moment that same slow, solemn
voice struck once more on my ear, say
ing, "Gen. Mcclellan, you have been be-
trsyed, and, bad not God willed other
wise, ere the sun of tomorrow had set
the Confederate flag would have waved
above the Capitol and your own grave.
But note what you see. Your time Is
short. Tarry not" Ere the words had
left the lips of my vapory mentor, my
pencil was flying with the speed Of
thought, transferring to the map before
me all that saw upon the living map.
At last the task was done and my pen
Gil dropped from my fingers. became
conscious that there was shining light
on my left that steadily increased, and
as ceased my task It became In an In
slant more intense than the MONDAY sun.
Never, were I to live forever, will l for
get what saw. The dim, shadowy fig.
ure was no longer dim, bnt the glorified
and refulgent spirit Of Washington, the
Father of his Country, and now, for the
second time, it's saviour. As beheld
him In my dream or vision, whichever
you may term 1t, he was the most God.
like being could have conceived OF.
As continued looking, an expression of
So ublime benignity came gently upon bis
visage, and for the last time heard that
slow, solemn voice saying to me some
thing like this:
"Gen. Mcclellan, while yet In the
flesh beheld the birth Of the American
republic. 1t was indeed hard and
bloody one, but Gods blessing was upon
the nation, and therefore, through this
her first great struggle for existence, He
sustained her and with His mighty hand
brought her out triumphantly. A CEN
tury has not passed since then, and yet
the Child Republic has taken her position
as peer With nations whose page Of bis
tory extends for ages into the past. She
has since those dark days by the favor
of God greatly prospered. And now, by
very reason of this prosperity, has she
been brought to her second great strug-
gle. This is by far the most perilous
ordeal she has to endure. Passing as
she is from childhood to opening matu-
rity, she 10 called on to accomplish that
vast result, self-conquest, to learn that
important lesson, self control, self.rule.
that In the future will place her In the
van of power and civilization.
"It is here that all nations have hither-
to failed; and she too, the Republic OF
the Earth, had not God willed otherwise,
would by to-morrow's sunset have been
. broken heap of stones cast up over the
grave Of human liberty. But her cries
have come up out of her borders like
sweet incense unto Heaven, and she will
be saved. Thus shall peace once more
come upon her and prosperity fill her
with Joy.
"But her mission will not then be
flushed, for ere another century shall
have gone by, the oppressors OF the
whole earth, hating and euvying her
shall join themselves to.
gether, and raise up their hands against
her. But II she still be found worthy OF
her high calling, they shall surely be
discounted, and then will be. ended her
third and last great struggle for exist
epce. To be united is to gain the day.
Thsnceforth shall the Republic 60 on.
increasing In goodness and power, until
her borders shall, beneath her shadowing
wing, become q universal Republic.
Let her In her prosperity, however, re-
member the Lord her God; her trust be
always in Him, and she shall not be con-
founded"
The heavenly visitant ceased speaking,
and % still gazed upon him, drew near
or to me and raised and spread out his