What about that vision now?

Washington crossing the Delaware by Leutze (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Years ago I posted an old article published in the late 1800’s The National Tribune. The story relates a vision, allegedly received by George Washington during the Revolutionary War. At that time several readers and bloggers wrote to me dismissing the story. I had posted it at first because the story had some curious twists. It was presented to Washington by a female (not a man, not an angel) and it shares its style with the visions and messages of Fatima many years before Fatima occurred.

Please read it again and tell me if the “Third Peril” does not resemble the present situation of the country in many ways.

This is not a valid prophetic vision but it has a certain quality that I can’t dismiss as a mere fantastic tale.

Introduction by Wesley Bradshaw

The father of our country, George Washington, was a man of prayer. Many of us have read of how he went to the thicket many times to pray during the winter his army was at Valley Forge. However, little publicity has been given to the vision and prophecy he received at that time.
The account of this vision was given in 1859 by an old soldier. He gave it to a writer, Wesley Bradshaw, who published it. In the vision God revealed to George Washington that three great perils would come upon the republic. He was given to know that America was going through the first peril at that time. The old soldier who told the story of the vision said the nation would soon see the account verified by the second peril descending upon the land.
We give the account here as printed in the U.S. war veterans paper The National Tribune, in December 1880. The National Tribune became, “The Stars and Stripes”, and this article was later reprinted in that publication.

The vision

This afternoon, as I was sitting at this table engaged in preparing a dispatch, something seemed to disturb me. Looking up, I beheld standing opposite me a singularly beautiful female. So astonished was I, for I had given strict orders not to be disturbed, that it was some moments before I found language to inquire the cause of her presence. A second, a third and even a fourth time did I repeat my question, but received no answer from my mysterious visitor except a slight raising of her eyes.

By this time I felt strange sensations spreading through me. I would have risen but the riveted gaze of the being before me rendered volition impossible. I assayed once more to address her, but my tongue had become useless, as though it had become paralyzed.

A new influence, mysterious, potent, irresistible, took possession of me. All I could do was to gaze steadily, vacantly at my unknown visitor. Gradually the surrounding atmosphere seemed as if it had become filled with sensations, and luminous. Everything about me seemed to rarefy, the mysterious visitor herself becoming more airy and yet more distinct to my sight than before. I now began to feel as one dying, or rather to experience the sensations which I have sometimes imagined accompany dissolution. I did not think, I did not reason, I did not move; all were alike impossible. I was only conscious of gazing fixedly, vacantly at my companion.

First peril

Presently I heard a voice saying, “Son of the Republic, look and learn,” while at the same time my visitor extended her arm eastwardly, I now beheld a heavy white vapor at some distance rising fold upon fold. This gradually dissipated, and I looked upon a stranger scene. Before me lay spread out in one vast plain all the countries of the world — Europe, Asia, Africa and America. I saw rolling and tossing between Europe and America the billows of the Atlantic, and between Asia and America lay the Pacific.

“Son of the Republic,” said the same mysterious voice as before, “look and learn.” At that moment I beheld a dark, shadowy being, like an angel, standing or rather floating in mid-air, between Europe and America. Dipping water out of the ocean in the hollow of each hand, he sprinkled some upon America with his right hand, while with his left hand he cast some on Europe. Immediately a cloud raised from these countries, and joined in mid-ocean. For a while it remained stationary, and then moved slowly westward, until it enveloped America in its murky folds. Sharp flashes of lightning gleamed through it at intervals, and I heard the smothered groans and cries of the American people.

Second Peril

A second time the angel dipped water from the ocean, and sprinkled it out as before. The dark cloud was then drawn back to the ocean, in whose heaving billows in sank from view. A third time I heard the mysterious voice saying, “Son of the Republic, look and learn,” I cast my eyes upon America and beheld villages and towns and cities springing up one after another until the whole land from the Atlantic to the Pacific was dotted with them.

Again, I heard the mysterious voice say, “Son of the Republic, the end of the century cometh, look and learn.” At this the dark shadowy angel turned his face southward, and from Africa I saw an ill omened specter approach our land. It flitted slowly over every town and city of the latter. The inhabitants presently set themselves in battle array against each other. As I continued looking I saw a bright angel, on whose brow rested a crown of light, on which was traced the word “Union,” bearing the American flag which he placed between the divided nation, and said, “Remember ye are brethren.” Instantly, the inhabitants, casting from them their weapons became friends once more, and united around the National Standard.

Third peril

“And again I heard the mysterious voice saying “Son of the Republic, look and learn.” At this the dark, shadowy angel placed a trumpet to his mouth, and blew three distinct blasts; and taking water from the ocean, he sprinkled it upon Europe, Asia and Africa. Then my eyes beheld a fearful scene: From each of these countries arose thick, black clouds that were soon joined into one. Throughout this mass there gleamed a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men, who, moving with the cloud, marched by land and sailed by sea to America. Our country was enveloped in this volume of cloud, and I saw these vast armies devastate the whole country and burn the villages, towns and cities that I beheld springing up. As my ears listened to the thundering of the cannon, clashing of sword, and the shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat, I heard again the mysterious voice saying, “Son of the Republic, look and learn.” When the voice had ceased, the dark shadowy angel placed his trumpet once more to his mouth, and blew a long and fearful blast. “Instantly a light as of a thousand suns shone down from above me, and pierced and broke into fragments the dark cloud which enveloped America. At the same moment the angel upon whose head still shone the word Union, and who bore our national flag in one hand and a sword in the other, descended from the heavens attended by legions of white spirits. These immediately joined the inhabitants of America, who I perceived were well nigh overcome, but who immediately taking courage again, closed up their broken ranks and renewed the battle.

Victory and destiny

Again, amid the fearful noise of the conflict, I heard the mysterious voice saying, “Son of the Republic, look and learn.” As the voice ceased, the shadowy angel for the last time dipped water from the ocean and sprinkled it upon America. Instantly the dark cloud rolled back, together with the armies it had brought, leaving the inhabitants of the land victorious!

Then once more I beheld the villages, towns and cities springing up where I had seen them before, while the bright angel, planting the azure standard he had brought in the midst of them, cried with a loud voice: “While the stars remain, and the heavens send down dew upon the earth, so long shall the Union last.” And taking from his brow the crown on which blazoned the word “Union,” he placed it upon the Standard while the people, kneeling down, said, “Amen.”

The scene instantly began to fade and dissolve, and I at last saw nothing but the rising, curling vapor I at first beheld. This also disappearing, I found myself once more gazing upon the mysterious visitor, who, in the same voice I had heard before, said, “Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: Three great perils will come upon the Republic.

The most fearful is the third, but in this greatest conflict the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic learn to live for his God, his land and the Union.” With these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown to me the birth, progress, and destiny of the United States.

RECEIVED VIA EMAIL (Slightly edited to preserve private identity)

I read your article with interest. My father spoke to me of it as a boy around 1977. He bought a print of the Arnold Friberg painting of Washington Praying at Valley Forge in 1777. Several times before he died in 2021 my father spoke of it. He firmly believed it was true with one caveat, which was that the person who spoke to George Washington was the Virgin Mary.

My father had his BA in History from St. Bonaventure University in 1960, training under the Franciscans, as well as his MSEd from New York University in 1968. Someone who regularly had masses said for the deceased, he saw the dead and conversed with them in the last three years before he died. Dad was not given to flights of fancy, but he firmly believed in it. If it was made up in 1959-1861, he said then why would someone at that time conceive of something as ridiculous (from an 1859-1861 perspective) as a Chinese invasion of the west coast of the United States? While it seems unlikely, I recall a vision of Father Jim Blount where he spoke of seeing Chinese soldiers in the United States.

There is also a book about this, Faith of Our Founding Father: The Spiritual Journey of George Washington by Janice T. Connell, 2003. I bought the book for my father, but I never read it, so I cannot say more about it.

J.M.
New York

MY RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE EMAIL

Firstly, thank you for your comment which I treasure. Yes, I agree with your father: the woman in the vision is Our Blessed Mother. It is well known that George Washington had a devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary and was likely a secret Catholic for some time before his death. There are credible reports (also found in Mrs. Connell’s book) that G.W. was received in the Catholic Church, confessed with a Jesuit priest, and received Holy Communion before he died.

If this vision is a mere story published for entertainment purposes, I am willing to admit that it has a Catholic tone to it. To my mind, it has many similarities to the main vision of Fatima where someone who appeared to be the Holy Father ascends to a hill where there is a cork-tree cross.

Let us be cautious and see it as curious story but those who take the time to analyze it and compare it can certainly benefit from it just like your father did. The story sounds anachronic for the 1860’s but there is no doubt it was published back then.

Thank you again for your interesting email.

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One thought on “What about that vision now?”

Carlos Caso-Rosendi says:

October 2, 2024 at 9:32 pm

RECEIVED VIA EMAIL (Slightly edited to preserve private identity)

I read your article with interest. My father spoke to me of it as a boy around 1977. He bought a print of the Arnold Friberg painting of Washington Praying at Valley Forge in 1777. Several times before he died in 2021 my father spoke of it. He firmly believed it was true with one caveat, which was that the person who spoke to George Washington was the Virgin Mary.

My father had his BA in History from St. Bonaventure University in 1960, training under the Franciscans, as well as his MSEd from New York University in 1968. Someone who regularly had masses said for the deceased, he saw the dead and conversed with them in the last three years before he died. Dad was not given to flights of fancy, but he firmly believed in it. If it was made up in 1959-1861, he said then why would someone at that time conceive of something as ridiculous (from an 1859-1861 perspective) as a Chinese invasion of the west coast of the United States? While it seems unlikely, I recall a vision of Father Jim Blount where he spoke of seeing Chinese soldiers in the United States.

There is also a book about this, Faith of Our Founding Father: The Spiritual Journey of George Washington by Janice T. Connell, 2003. I bought the book for my father, but I never read it, so I cannot say more about it.

J.M.
New York

MY RESPONSE TO THE ABOVE EMAIL

Firstly, thank you for your comment which I treasure. Yes, I agree with your father: the woman in the vision is Our Blessed Mother. It is well known that George Washington had a devotion for the Blessed Virgin Mary and was likely a secret Catholic for some time before his death. There are credible reports (also found in Mrs. Connell’s book) that G.W. was received in the Catholic Church, confessed with a Jesuit priest, and received Holy Communion before he died.

If this vision is a mere story published for entertainment purposes, I am willing to admit that it has a Catholic tone to it. To my mind, it has many similarities to the main vision of Fatima where someone who appeared to be the Holy Father ascends to a hill where there is a cork-tree cross.

Let us be cautious and see it as curious story but those who take the time to analyze it and compare it can certainly benefit from it just like your father did. The story sounds anachronic for the 1860’s but there is no doubt it was published back then.

Thank you again for your interesting email.

LikeLike