Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-09-03

against an enemy that no boldness could awe,
or courage overcome Those brave troops had
heard the tramp Of thousands of cavalry sweep
ing 10 battle without fear but now they stood
in still terror before The march of The conAagra-
ton, under whose burning footsteps was heard
the incessant crash of falling houses, and pala-
ces and churches. The continuous roar of the
raging hurricane, mingled with tha. of the
fames was more terrible than the thunder of
artillery; and before this new foe in the midst
of this battle Of the elements, the awe struck
army stood powerless and affrighted.
When night again descended on the city, i,
presented spectacle The like of which was
never seen before, and which battles all de-
scriplion. The streets were streets of fire.
the heavens canopy of fire, and The entire bo-
dy Of the city mass Of fire, fed by hurri-
cane lha, whrled the blazing fragments in a
cons,an. stream through the air. lncessan. ex-
plosons from the blowing up Of stores of oil,
of lar and spirits, shook The very foundation Of
the ciiv, and sent vast volumes of smoke rolling
furiously towards the sky. Huge sheets Of
canvass on fire came floating like messengers
of death through The fames----the towers and
domes Of the churches and palaces glowed with
red-hot heat over the wild sea below, then
toltering moment on their basis were hurled
by the tempest into the common ruin. Thous-
ands of wretches before unseen, were driven
by the heat from the cellars and novels. and in
an uncessant lhrong through the streets. Chill
dren were carrying their parenls-the strong,
the weak; while thousands more were stagger-
ing under the loads of plunder they had snatched
fIom the flames. This, TOO, would frequently
take FIRE in the falling shower, and The miser
able creatures would be compelled TO drop it
and flee for their lives. Oh, it was scene of
wo and fear inconceivable and indescribabe
A mighty and close-packed city of houses,
wrapped from limi, 10 limit in flames which are
fed by whrling hurricane, is sight this world
will seldom see
Blu. this was all within the city. To Napo-
leon without, The spectacle was still more sub
lime and terrific. When the flames had over.
come all obstacles, and had wrapped every thing
in their red manlle,- ,-that great city looked like
sea of rolling fire, swept by tempest that
drove i, into vas, pillows. Huge domes and
towers, throwing off sparks like blazing fire.
brands, now lowered above these waves and
now disappeared in their maddening flow, as
they rushed and broke high over their tops,
scattering their spray Of fire against The clouds.
The heavens themselves seemed TO have caught
the confagration, and the angry masses that
swept i, rolled over bosom of fire. Columns
of fame would rise ard sink along the surface
of this sea, and huge volumes of black smoke
suddenly shoot into the air as if volcanoes were
working below. The black form Of the Krem-
lin alone, lowered above the chaos, now wrap
ped in fame and smoke and again emerging
into view-.-standing amid The scene Of desola.
ton and terror, like virtue in the midst of
burning world enveloped but unscalhed by the
devourng element Napoleon stood and gazed
upon this scene in silent awe. Though nearly
three miles distant, the windows and walls of
his apartment, were so hot tha, he could scarce
ly bear his hand agains, lhem Said he, years
at was the spectacle of a sea and pillows of
fire, sky and clouds Of flame, like immense
waves of the sea, alternately bursting forth and
elevatDg themselves TO the skies of fire, and
then sinking into The ocean of fame below
Oh it was the most grand, the most sublime,
and the most terrific sight the world ever be-
held"
Public Sentiment.