Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-07-09

although they were one-third of the
way down the stairs. When there a
bright sheet of fame swept across from
the. stage to the boxes, tanning with its
burning glow their faces; she shrieked,
and sprung from his grasp down the
stairs. He followed, in the hope OF
irescuing her, and crept over the heads
Of the writhing victims then doomed to
inevitable destruction. He spoke to
several on his way down, but could
not find his companion, who eventual
! ly persisted with the rest. He became
senseless when about to reach the Ian
ding place at the entrance, and was
dragged out by one of the few by-stan-
ders present. Another gentleman who
| was pulled from the living mass, rush
ed past US, and SO bewlldered was he,
would have rushed into the flames then
bursting through the adjoining pit
door, but for the friendly and provlden-
tial interpositioE ola personfaear him.
To shew the difficulty experienced by
the few who ventured themselves with
in the burning premises in extricating
their unhappy fellow-cltizens, we may
mention that three persons with the
writer, had the unfortunate Mr.. Delvin
/, by the two arms, who was standing
erect and apparently encountered but
by those who lay in various positions
around his feet, and who was within a
foot of The edge of the partition, ru-
bicon to be passed, ere life could be
saved-and, with his own exertions
superadded, could not move him. We
stated as our own impression when the
awful sight of the struggling mass of
! human victims first met our view, that
the stairs had fallen. Upon reflection,
this cannot have been the case, as the
wooden partition on the one side did
not extend below the level of the incll-
nation of the steps, and consequently
had they fallen, the crowd would have
rolled into the open area adjolning,and
| beneath the boxes. As it was, no i'm
plements could be obtained with which
to break down that partition. An axe
was brought at late hour, but toe
late to be of service. The impression
made upon us at the time, is readily
accounted for when the thick gloom
produced by the smoke is taken into
/ consideration; murkiness barely pen
etrated by the 6tful flashes of fire which
rushed from above, and on one side
through the mterstices Of the burning
planks. Having been present only at
| the scene, we cannot speak of the ma
nv acts of heroism which rumor says
were performed elsewhere. ~
On Sunday the town presented a
melancholy and funeral scene. Most
of the victims of the sad calamity were
then inferred. Gloom was depicted
on every passing countenance, and the
sighs of the mourning completely and
gloomily outshadowed the gay tlnts Of
those whose habliments betokened
their fortunate exemption from share
in the general woe. At one time III
teen soffins lay in the French cathe-
dral, and in the afternoon three Epis,
copalian clergymen, and one Presbyte-
rian We're in attendance at the Protes
tant burying ground, to perform the
last sad rites of the church over the
departed. The Wesleyan minister
was also engaged in a similar melan'
choly duty. 1ia saa.a
1t appears that Lieutenant Hamll-
ton, ofthe l4th regiment, who perish.
ed in the flames, had attended the
exhibition in company with Miss Ray,
his betrolhed bride, and her sister:
when the flames broke out he succeed.
ed in getting the sister in safety from
the building, and returned to seek his
intended, when both Of them thus mis-
erably persisted.
| Lieutenant Armstrong, of the same
esiment, save himselfby a desperate
exertion of personal strength, having
sprung up to window, the situation
of which he knew, and forced out a
pane of glass, by which he obtained
fresh air, and ultimately succeeded in
forcing his way through the window,
! with only few bruises. stng58
An instance of great presence of
mind was shown by a lad of sixteen,
/ the son Of Mr.. Robert Shaw, who was
there with two younger brothers.-
When the alarm was given, and the
rush took place, he prevented his
brothers from moving, and when the
place was clear, escaped with them by
climbing over the stage, and passir G
through door at the back. Had es-
prv one nreSpnt or even two or three