George Washington and an Incredible Vision at Valley Forge...

Replica of George Washington's camp at Valley Forge by Rdsmith4

As you can imagine, there are a ton of stories out there surrounding the birth of our nation, some based on fact and some now relegated to the corners of legend. Not surprising many of those legends involve George Washington, the presiding authority of the Continental Army. I found several that intrigued me while writing my ghostly paranormal romance,  "Spirit of the Revolution..."

Here's my favorite...

The annals of history say the winter of 1777-78 was uncommonly cold. Historical documents tell us that Washington’s troops were sick, starving, and freezing to death. Morale among the dispirited troops had fallen to its lowest point. Disease took the lives of over two thousand good men. More than half of what was left of his army had every intention of going home once their terms of service ended. Whispers abounded that a disheartened General Washington toyed with the idea of surrender.

George Washington by Peale 177

During this tumultuous time, our beloved first president had an encounter with the paranormal, or so the story goes. You see, we find printed in the National Tribune of 1880--a century after the fact--a story concerning this encounter. According to the alleged witness, (one Anthony Sherman,) George Washington had an unexpected visitor. This beautiful, ethereal spirit—some say angel—appeared before him, startling him half out of his wits. After several attempts to inquire as to her purpose, she pointed east, and said, “Son of the Republic, look and learn.” She then showed him in vision several episodes of conflict involving his beloved country.

There are those who interpret these conflicts as America’s triumph over England, the Civil War, and then scenes from World War I and II. In the last conflict all nations were arrayed against America

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Very cool...right?