Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1842-10-15

p"ehranCe, klnQ!e0 by the tarreu lanCeS
OF Russian police soldiers. F,owi,zers
had been concealed in almost all the
stores, and the French soldiers. in light
ing them to warm themselves, had u,ade
them explode, SO tina, the howi;zer had
killed the men and set fire to the houses
All night had been spent by the men in
flying from house to house, and in seeing
The house they we're in or the one they
were entering. spontaneously inflamcd
without, any visible cause. Moscow was
evidently doomed TO complete destruc
ton.
Napoleon was then compelled TO ac-
knowledge that the fires simultaneously
kind|ed at a thousand places were the
work Of one and the same will, If not Of
the one and the Same ha..d He wiped his
forehead, whence the copious perspira.
ton flowed, and Nttering sigh. excIaim
ed, '.Voila done CONNIE lis nous ionla
guerre! La civilization Of Saint Peters.
burg nous trompes, ct les Russes mod
renes sont 'oujours les ancieno saylhes!n
lie Immediately ordered all who should
be seized k'ndling or stimulating the fire,
TO be tried and shot; the Old Guard oc.
cupving the kremlin were to stand TO
their arms, and everything was to be
kept ready to quit city which had been
sought from 50 great distance. and on
the occupation OF which so much depen-
dence had been placed.
An hour afters'lhe Emperor was ap.
Prised that his orders had been executed
tyra Il h.,1
shot. 81 hey had avowcd the, they were
t0pthe number OF nine hundred. and that
before evacuating Moscow. the Governor,
Rosupch,n. had concealed them in the
cellars in order that they might set fire
TO al partsof the city. They had faith
fluffy obeyed his commands. In that
hour the flames had made further pro-
gress; the kremlin looked like All island
cast into sea OF fire. rhe4atmosphere
was loaded with burning vapors; the
glass Of the kremlin's window, which
had been closed. cracked and fell TO
pieces; The air was filled with ashes and
dust.
At ,hatemoment last cry was raised
of the kremIin is on fire." Napolean
grew pale with al ger. Thus even the
ancient PaIacc-the old kremlin, resi-
dence Of the Cars was not sacred 10
those political Erostra,es; at least he
who had Sc, fire 10 it had been seized
Tie was brought before The Emperor
tie Was soldier Of the Russian police.
Napoleon questioning him, when he re
peated what has already been said
Each had his task allotted 10 him; that
entrusted to him and eight OF his com
rades was TO fire the krcm!ia. Napolcan
drove him on. with DISCUS, and lie was
shot in the palace court Itself.
The Emperor was then earnestly urged
10 quit the palace where the fire pursued
him, bat he would resist Still! the evidence
he had beiMe him, clinging 10 his will,
and neither refusing nor submitting. lie
remained deaf, inert.and in CONSERVATION,
when all at onco vague rumur OF the
kremIin being undermined circulated a
boot him. Al the same moment were
heard the cries of the grenadiers calling
for him. The news had .pred among
them; they would have their Emperor,
aud declared that it he came not TO them
Immediately they would themselves Bring
aim.
Napolean a, length made up his MUD.
'ul how was he to get out. So much
time mad been lost that no outlet was lett.
The Emperor ordered Gourgaud aud the
Prince dc Neulcha,ei (Bers hleD TO ascend
10 the kre,nlin terrace aud strive 10 dis
cover passage. Several Ordinance OIL
GERS were also ordered TO explore tle
neighborhood OF the palace for the same
purpose. All eagerly obeyed,ahe officers
rapidly descending all tho stairs, and
Berthier and Gourgaud ascending the
terrace Scarcely were they there when
they were obliged TO cling TO one another;
the violence Of the wind and rareac,ion
OF the air were such that they could not
resist the commotion; it was impossible
TO see anything but an ocean OF flames
without apertures or limits.
They returned and ! made their dismal
report 10 Napolean. He then no longer
hesl,ated; at the risk ut rushing headlong
into the flames, he rapidly descended the
north slnirs, on the steps Of which the
Streillz hau heeR nassacred; but on
reaching the cour. no aperture was dis
coverei--ihe flames blockaded all he
doors il was too lates
AZ tina, ,nomenl an office: hasteucd up
oug OF breath. covered with perspiratlon,
and his hair halt burnt: he had found a
passage: il was closed postelngate,
which must open upon the M.skow;. 49,
sFous it appears rushed to II, and shattered
1t with their axes. Napofean advanced
between Two walls Of rocks; his officers,
marsha.s, and guard toIlowed;. TO retrace
hlslstrps WOULD now be impossible--he
must 90 on. 81
The officers had been mistaken; the
posiem-gate opened not on the river, but
INTO narrow street, which was blazing.
Napolean set the example, 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. IA
midst the cracking ol the flames and
falling roots. All TIE houses were burn
ing, or burn, down, and from the windows
ana roofs vi all that still stood the flames
rushed forth in pursuit o: the fugitive;
beams fell, melted lead flowed III the
Misunderstanding was burning; some
OF the fugit.ves tell, suffocated from wan,
OF air, or crushed under the falling