Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-07-30
The Burning Of Moscow.

AT length Moscow, with its domes, aud towers,
and palaces appeared in sight; aud Napoleon, who
had joined the advance guard, gazed long and
thoughtluly that goal Of his wishes, Murat
went forward and entered the gates with his splen
did cavalry but as he passed through the streets,
he struck by the solitude that surrounded him.
Nothing was heard but the heavy tramp Of his
squadrons as he passed along, for a deserted and
abandoned city was The meagre prize for which
such unparalleled efforts had been made. As night
drew its curtain over the splendid capital, Napole
on entered the gates, and Immediately appointed
Mortier governor. In his directions he command
ed him TO abstain from all page For this said
he, you shall be answerabe with your life De-
fend Moscow against all, whether friend or foe
The bright moon rose over the mighty city, tip
ping with silver the domes Of more than two hun
dred churches, aud pouring food Of light over
thousand palaces, and the dwellings Of three hun.
bred thousand inhabitants. The weary army sunk
to rest but there was sleep for Mortiers eyes.
Not the gorgeous aud variegated palaces and their
rich ornaments, nor the parks and gardens. aud
Oriental magnihcence that everywhere surrounded
him, kept him wakeful, but the ominous foreboding
that some dire calamity was hanging over the ST.
lent capital. When he entered IT, scarcely living
soul met his gaze he looked down the long
streets and when he broke open the buildings he
found parlors aud bedrooms all furnished and in
order, but no occupants. This sudden abandon
pose yet to be fulfilled. The midnight moon was
sailing the city, when the cry Of FIRE reach
ed the of Morter; and the FIRST light over Ma
poleons falling empire kinded, and that most
wondrous scene Of modern times commenced.
Mor;ier, as governor OF the city. Immediately is
sued bis ORDERS aud was putting forth every exef-
ton. when at daylight Napoleon hastened TO him.
Affecting to dsbeeve the reports that the inhabi-
tants we're firing their city, he put more rigid
Morfiar 10 taan The soldiers from
the work Of destruction. The Marshal simply
pointed to some iror-covered houses that had not
yet been opened, from every crevice Of which smoke
issuing like steam from the sides Of pent up
Volcano Sad and thoughtful, Napoleon turned
towards the Kremlin, the ancient palace OF the
Cars, whose huge structure rose high above the
surrounding edifces.
In the morning. MorIier, by great exeTtions, was
enabled to subdue the fire. But the next night
September 10Th, at midnight, the senlinels on
watch, upon the lofty kremlin, saw below them the
fame bursting through the houses and palaces, and
the cry of fire FIRE 7 passed through the city
The dread scene was now fairly opened. Fiery
balloons dropping from the air and light
ing upon the houses; dull explosions were heard
every side from the shut up dwellings, and the
next moment a bright light burst forth, and the
flames were raging through the apartments. The
serene air aud moonlight Of the night before had
given way to driving Clouds and wild tempest
tina, swept with the Of the over the city
Flames arose every side, blazing aud cracking
in the storm, while clouds Of smoke and sparks ia
an ncessant shower went driving towards the
Kremlin. The clouds themselves seemed turned
into fire, rolling in wrath over devoted Moscow
Mortier crushed with the responsibility thus thrown
upon his shoulders, moved with his Young Guard
amid this desoalion. blowing up the houses and
facing the tempest and the hames-suuggling nobly
to arrest the confiagration.
He fastened from place to place amid the burn.
ing ruins, his face blackened with the smoke aud
his hair and eyebrows snged with the fierce heat.
At length the day dawned, day Of tempest and OF
flame and Morter who had strained every nerve
for thrty.six hours, entered palace and dropped
down from fatigue The manly form and stalwart
arm that had so often carried death into the ranks
of the enemy, at length gave way, and the gloomy
Marshal lay and painted in utter exhaustion But
the night OF tempest had been succeeded by day
of tempest and when night again developed the
city, it Was one broad flame, waving to and fro iE
r the blast The wind had increased 10 perfect
hurricane shifted from quarter to quarter as If on
purpose TO swell the sea of fire and extinguIsh the
last hope. The fire was approaching the Kremn
and already the roar Of the flames and crash Of fall
ing houses and the cracking Of burning timbers
were borne to the of the startled Emperor
He arose and walked to and fro, stopping convul
siyely and gazing on the terrific scene. Murat
Eugene aud Berther rushed into his presence, anc
on their knees besought him to fee but he still
chung TO that naughty palace, as if il were his EN-
pire
But at length the shout the Kremlin is on fire
was heard above the roar of the conhagration ant
Napoleon reluctantly consented TO leave. He de
scended into the street with his staff but the flame
'blockaded every passage, At length they discov
/. cred poslern gate, leading TO the Moskwa an,
: entered it, but they had entered still farther int
danger. As Napoleon cast his eye around the opel
/ space, grded aud arched with ERE. smoke and Gin
d ders he saw one single street yet open, but all oil
: fire. Into this he rushed, and amid the crash Q
Z falling houses, and raging of the fames-oyer burn
ing ruins, through clouds Of rolling smoke and be
!. tween walls of FIRE, he pressed on and at length
!, half sufocated, emerged in safety from the bazin
city, and took up his quarters in the imperial pa
ace Of Petrowsky, nearly three miles distant MOI
tier, relieved from his anxiety for the Emperor,
doubled his efforts TO arrest the conhagration Iii
d men cheerfuly rushed into every darger Breatl
y ing nothing but smoke and ashes-canopied b
/. flame, aud smoke, and Understandable b
walls of fire that rocked to and fro and fell with
crash amid the blazing ruins, carrying down wi,
y \. them red hot roofs OF iron-he struggled against a
ly enemy that bolduess could ave- or courage owe
es come. Those brave troops had heard the tramp
;. - thousands of cavalry sweeping TO battle wltho
1e fear but now they stood in still terror before Il
to march OF contiagralion under whose burning foo
steps was heard the incessant crash Of falling hou
~ es, and palaces, and churches. The continuol
be roar OF the raging hurricane. mingled with that
nd the hames, was more terrible than the thunder
o, artillery and before this foe, in the midst
y, this battle Of the elements, the awe-struck arm
ms stood powerless and airighted.