Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-10-19
From "a Voice from st. Helena"
BONAPARTE.

turning OF pI0Sc0W.--l was III lDc
mids, OF fine city provisional for a
year, for in Russia they always lay in pro-
visions for several months before the
frost sets in. Stores Of all kinds were
in plenty. The houses ofthe inhabitants
were well provided, and many had even
left their servants to attend upon US. In
most of them there was note left by the
proprietor, begging the French officers
who took possession to take care OF their
furniture and other things; tha,they had
left every article necessary forour wants,
and hoped to return in few days, when
the emperor Alexander had accomno-
dated matters, at which they would be
happy 10 see US. Many ladies remained
behind. They knew that | had been in
Berlin and Vienna with my armies, and
that no injury had been done to the in
habitants, and moreover they expected
speedy peace. We were in hopes Of en-
Toying ourselves in winter quarters, with
every prospect of success in the spring.
Two days after our arrival, fire was
discovered, which at FIRST was not sup
posed to be alarming, but1o have been
caused by the soldiers kindling their
fires too near the houses which were
chiefly of wood. was angry at this, and
issued very strict orders on the subject
to the Commandments of the regiments and
others. The next day it had advanced,
but still not so as to give serious alarm.
However, afraid that it might gain upon
us, went cut on horseback, and gave
every direction TO extinguish it.
The next morning a violen; wind arose,
and the fire spread with rapidly. Some
hundred miscreants, hired for the pur-
pose, dispersed themselves in different
parts of the town, and with matches
which they concealed under their cloaks,
set fire to as many houses to windward
as they could, which was easily done, in
consequence OF the combustible mate
rails OF which they were built. This, to-
ge,her with the violence OF the wind, rem
dered every effort to extinguish the fire
Intellectual. / myself narrowly escaped
with life. In order to show an example,
l ventured into the midst of the flames,
and had my hair and eyebrows singed,
and my clothes burnt off my back; but
it was in vain as they had destroyed
most Of the pumps, Of which there were
above thousand out of all these, be-.
lieve that we could only find one tina, was
serviceable. Besides, wretches that had
been hired by Rostopchin, ran about in
every quarter, disseminating fire with
their matches; in which they were Blu,
too much assisted by the wind.
This terrible confagration ruined
every thing. l was prepared for every
thing but this. l, was unforeseen, for
who could have thought iha, nation
would have set its capital on FIRE! The
inhabitants themselves, however, did all
they could to extinguish it, and several
Of them persisted in their cndesvors.-
They also brought before US numbers Of
the incendiaries with their matches, as
amidst such hoholozzo we never could
have discovered them ourselves. | caus-
ed about two hundred of these wretchcs
to be shot. Had it not been Tor this fa-
tai fire, | had every thing my army want
ed; excellent winter quarters; stores Of
all kinds were. in plenty; and the next
year would have decided il. Alexander
would have made peace, or would have
been in Petersburg" asked if he
thought that he could entirely subdue
Russia. No." replied Napoleon :" but
would have caused Russia to make
such peace as snited the interests of
France. l was Eve days TOO late in
quitting Moscow. Several Of the gene
rails" continued he, "were burnt out Of
their beds. l myself remained in the
Kremlin until surrounded with flames.
The FIRE advanced, seized the Chinese.