Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-16
the awe struck army stood powerlcss and

the awe struck army stood powerless and
affrighted.
| When night again descended on the cii-
ty, presented spectacle the like Of which
was never seen before, and which battles
all description. The streets were streets
OF tire--the heavens u canopy Of fire. and
| the entire body of the city a mass Of fire.
| fed by the hurricane that whirled the blaz.
| ing fragments In constant stream through
| the air. Incessant explosions from the
blowing up of stores Of oil, tar and spirits,
shook the very foundation ofthe city and
sent vast volumes ofsmoke rolling furious
ly towards the sky. Huge sheets Of can.
vass on fire, came floating like messengers
of death through the flames-the towers
and domes of the churches and palaces
glowed with red hot heat over the wild
sea below, then tottcring moment on their
basis were hurled by the tempests into the
common ruin. Thousands fwretches be.
fore unseen were drvenby the heat from the
cellars and novels and streamed inan inces-
antthrong in thestrcets. Children wereseen
carrying their parents-thc strong the
weak, while thousands more We're stagger-
ing under the loads of plumber they had
snatched from the flames This, too,
would frequently take fire in the falling
shower, and the miserable creatures would
be compelled to drop it, and flee for their
lives. Oh! it was scene offcar and wo,in-
conceivable and indescribable! A mighty
and close packed city ofhouses and church
es and palaces wrapped from limit to limit
in flames which are fed by whirling
hurricane. is sight this world will seldom
sec.
But this was all within the city. To
Napoleon without the spectacle was still
more sublime and terrific. When the
flames had overcome all obstacles and had
wrapped everything in their red mautle,
that great city looked like sea of rolling
fire, swept bya tempest that drove itinto
vast pillows. Huge domcs aud towers
throwing oifsparks like blazing brands,
now lowered above the waves, and now
disappeared in their maddening flow as
they broke high over their tops, scattering
their spray of fire against the Clouds
The heavens themselves seemed to have
caught the conllagrltion, and the angry
masses that swept it rolled over a bosom
offirc. Columns Of fame would rise and
sink along the surface of this sea, and huge
volumes of black smoke suddenly shoot in
to the air, as if volcanoes were working be-
low. The black form OF the kremlin alone
lowered above the chaos, now wrapped in
fame and smoke. and then began merging
into view-standing amid the scene of des-
olation and terror like virtue in the midst OF
a burning world, enveloped but unscathcd
by the devouring elements. Napoleon
stood and gazed on this scene in silent awe.
Though nearly three miles distant, the win
dows and walls of his apartment were so
hot that he could scarcely bear his hand
against them. Saidhe, years afterwards.
at was the spectacle Of the sea and bill
lows of fire, a sky and clouds of fame,
mountains of red rolling fame, like irn-
mcnse wavesoithe sea, altcrnativcly burst
ing forth, and elevaling themselves to skies
offirc, and then sinking into the ocean be-
low. Oh! it was the most naked, the most
sublime and the most terrific sight the world
ever bcheld"