The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-04-01
WHOLE NO. ASS.

ilames changed their direction-they extended,
but removed to a distance.
Suddenly a second fire kinded in the east
and advanced like the first, pushed by the wind
NO further doubt could be entertained, 1t was a
new scheme of destruction adopted by the enc
my, and the evidence Napoleon had so long
shrunk from began TO gnaw his heart.
Fresh columns of flame and smoke soon arose
from various parts. The wind being still un-
certain, and constantly shifting from north TO
east, the coniiagration enveoped the kremlin
rom all sides Al every .homent torrents flow
ed from those streams Of fire, which spread in
lheir TURN. II was no longer a fire, but sea of
ilames-an Immense tide, ever ascending to-
ward the foot of the Kremlin walls.
All night Napoleon behed with terror the
merry tempest: there his might expired and his
genus was conquered. The sun rose over the
furnace, and daylight exhibited the nights dis
aster. The fire had accomplished its enormous
circle, driving the workmen before it, and draw
ing nearer and nearer 10 the Kremlin. Reports
then succeeded one another, and we began to
find out who were the incendiaries
In the night Of the 18th, the very night of the
occupation, globe of fire had fallen upon Prince
Troubetskoi's palace, and set fire to il. II was
no doubt signal, for at the very nlnmeni. .ihs
Exchange wu5 IN flames, and at Two or three
places the conflagration made its appearance,
kindled by the Jared lances Of Russian police
soldiers Howitzers had been concealed in al
most all the stores, and the French soldiers, in
lighting them 10 warm themselves, had made
them explode, SO that the howitzers had killed
the men and set fire 10 the houses. All night
had been spent by the men in flying from house
to house, and in seeing the house they were in
or the one they were entering, spontaneously
lnfiamed without any visible cause. Moscow
was evidently doomed TO complete destruction.
Napoleon was then compelled to acknowledge
that the fires simultaneously kinded at thou
sand places were the work of one and the same
hand. de wiped his forehead, whence copious
perspiratlon flowed, and ring a sigh, exclalmi-
ed, :" Behold how they contend with Us The
civilization OF st. Petersburg has deceived US,
and the modern Russians are but ancient Scy-
thiansw
He Immediately ordered all who should be
seized kndllng or stimulating the fire, TO be tried
and shot; the Old Guard occupying the Krem-
lin, Were to stand 10 their arms, and every
thing was to be kept ready to quit city which
had been sought from great distance, and
on the occupation of which so much dependence
had been placed.
An hour after, the Emperor was apprized that
his orders had been executed; some twenty in
cendiares had been shot They had avowed
that they were TO the number of nine hundred
and that before evacuating Moscow Rostopchln
had concealed them in the cellars, in order that
they might set fire to all parts of the city They
had faithfully obeyed his commands. In that
hour the flames had made further progress the
Kremlin looked like an island cast into sea of
fire. The atmosphere was loaded with burning
vapors the glass of the Kremlin's windows,
which had been closed, cracked and fell TO
pieces; the air was filed with ashes and dust
AT that moment a last cry was raised Of s'The
Kremlin is on fire Napoleon grew pale with
anger Thus even the ancient Palace, the old
Kremlin residence Of the Cars, was not sacred
to those political Erostrates; at least he who had
set fire to ii had been seized. He was brought
before the Emperor. II was a soldier of the
Russian police. Napoleon questioned him,
when he repeated what has already been said.
Each had his task allotted to him that entrusted
TO him and eight of his comrades was to fire the
Kremlin Napoleon drove him out with disgust.
and he was shot in the palace court itself.
The Emperor was then earnestly urged to
quit tho palace where the fire pursued him, but
he would resist still the evidence he had before
him, cinging to his will, and neither refusing
nor submitting He remained deaf inert, and in
CONSERVATION, when all at once vague rumor of
the Kremlin being undermined circulated about
him. AT the same moment were heard the
cries of the grenadiers calling for him The
news had spread among them; they would have
their Emperor, and declared that if he came not
to them Immediately they would themselves
fetch him
Napoleon atlength made up his mind. But
how was he TO get out2 So much time had
been lost that no outlet was left. The Emperor
ordered Gourgaud and the Prince de Neufchae
(Berlhier) to ascend to the kremlin terrace and
strive to discover passage. Several o,don
nance officers were also ordered to explore the
neighborhood of the palace for the same purpose,
All eagerly obey ed, the officers rapidly descend
ing all the stairs, and Berthier and Gourgaud as
cendng the terrace. Scarcely were they there
when they were obliged to cling to one another;
the violence Of the wind and rarefaction of the
air were such that they could otresist the com
motion; il was impossible 10 see any thing but
an ocean Of flames, without apertures or limits
They returned and made their dismal report
to Napoeon He then no longer hesitated: at
the risk Of rushing headlong into the flames, he
rapidly descended the north stairs, on the steps
of which the Stretz had been massacred but
on reaching the court no aperture was discover
ed the flames blockaded all the doors-it was
too late,
AT that moment an officer FASTENED up out Of
breath, covered with perspiration, and his hair
half burnt he had found passage: it was a
closed postern- gate which must open upon the
Moskowa. Four sappers rushed to it, and shat
tered it with their axes. Napoleon advanced
between two walls of rocks his officers, mar
shals, and guard followed TO retrace his steps
would now be impossible he must go on.
The officer had been mistaken the postcrn-
gate opened not on the river, but into narrow
street which was blazing. Napoleon set the ex-
ample, and rushed foremost beneath an arcade
of fire; all followed, determined to die with
him.
There was no more road, no guide, and no
stars. They walked at random, amidst the
cracking of the flames and falling roofs. All
the houses were burning or burnt down, and
from the windows and roofs of all that still stood
the flames rushed forth in pursuit Of the fugi-
tives beams fell, melted lead flowed in the ken
nels-every thing was burnng some Of the
fnriives fell suffocated for want of air, or
crushed under the falling wrecks.
A, H., ,,or,ent tho soldiers Of the fret corDs