Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-06-06
NAPOLEON at Moscow.

We Subloln from Headley' work. Napoleon ana
his Marshals "a brilliant account of the burning OF
Moscow, which is we'll spoken of in the American
Wing Review, superior even to Crolys picture In
+" Salathiel,' of the confagration of Rome. Head
leys descriptive powers have rarely, if ever been
| surpassed:
At length, Moscow, with its domes, and towers
and palaces appear in sight and Napoleon, who had
joined the advanced guard gazed long and thought
fully en- that goal of his wishes. Murat went for
ward and entered the gates with his splendid caval-
~, but as he passed through the Streets he was
struck with the solitude that surrounded him. No
thing heard but the heavy tramp of his squadron
as he passed along. for deserted and abandoned
city the meagre prize for which such unparall-
eled efforts had been made As ght drew its cur
tain the splendid capital Napoleon entered the
gates, and Immediately appointed Mortier governor.
In his directions he commanded him to abstain from
all pllage. For this, said he, you shall be an
swerable with your life. Defend Moscow against
ALL whether friend or foe.'
The bright moon over the mighty city
tipping with silver the domes of more than two hun
dred churches, and pouring food of light a
thousand palaces and the dwellings of three hundred
thousand inhabitants The weary army sunk to
rest; but there sleep to Mortier's eyes. Not
the gorgeous and variegated palaces and their rich
ornaments, the parks and gardens and oriental
ma gnifcence that every where surrounded him, kept
him wakeful but the ominous foreboding that some
dire calamity was hanging over the silent capital
When he entered it, scarce living soul met his
gaze he looked down the long streets; and, when
he broke open the buildings, he found parours and
bedrooms and chambers all furnished and in or
der but occupants. The sudden abandonment
of their homes betokened some secret purpose yet
to be fulfilled, The midnight moon sailing over
the city when the cry of fire reached the ears of
Mortier and the first light Napoleons falling
empire was kndled and that most wonderous scene
of modern times commemorative burning of Mos
COW.
''Mortier. governor of the city, Immediately is
sued his ORDERS and putting forth every exerton
when at daylight Napoleon FASTENED to him. At
fecting to dsbeeve the reports that the inhabitants
were burning their CITY, he put more rigid COM
mands on Mortier to keep the soldiers from the work
of destruction. The Marshal simply pointed to some
iron covered houses that had not yet been opened
from every ereyice of which smoke was issuing like
steam. from the sides of pent up volcano. Sad and
thCug htful Napoleon turned towards the kremlin,
the ancient palace of the Cars, whose huge struc-
ture rose high above the surrounding edifces.
In the morning Mortier, by great exertions, was
enabled to subdue the fire. The next night, Sept.
Is. at midnight the sentines on watch upon the
lofty Kremlin, saw below them the flames bursting
through the houses and palaces, and the cry of fire
fire re!'' passed through the city The dread scene
had now fairly opened. Fiery balloons were seen
dropping fro19 the air and lighting upon the houses
dull explosions were heard on every SIDE from the
shut dwellings, and the next moment a bright light
burst forth, and the flames raging through the
apartments. All was uproar and confusion. The
serene air, and moonlight of the night before had
given way to driving clouds and wild tempests that
swept with the roar of the sea the city. Flames
arose on every side. blazing and cracking in the
storm, while clouds of smoke and sparks, in an in
cesSant shower, went driving towards the kremlin.
The clouds themselves seemed turned into fire. roll
ling in wrath over devoted Moscow. Morter crush
ed with responsibility thus thrown upon his shout
ders moved with his Young Guard amid this desc
lation, blowing up the houses and facing the tenn
pest and the fames-sruggl nobly to arrest the
cOnfagratiOn.
He fastened from place to place amid the blazing
ruins his face BACKED with smoke, and his hair and
eye brows singed with the fierce heat. At length
the day dawned, day of tempest and flame and
Mortier who had strained every nerve for thlrtysiX
hours, entered palace and dropped from fatigue
The manly form and stalwart that often car
ried death into the ranks of the enemy, at length
gave way, and the gloomy Marshal lay and pan
ted in utter exhaustion. But the nj ht of tempest
had been succeeded by day of tempests. and when
night again enveloped the city, it was one broad
flame waving to and fro. in the blast. The wind had
increased to perfect hurricane and shifted from quar-
ter to quarter if purpose to swell the sea OF fire.
and extin guished the hope The fire sapproach
ing the Kremln, and already the Of the flames.
and the crash of the falling houses and the cracking
of burning timbers borne to the OF the startled
Emperor. He arose and walked to and fro stopping
convulsvely and gazing on the terrific scene Mu-
rat Eugene and Berthier rushed into his presence,
and on their knees besought him to flee, but he still
hung to that naughty palace as if it were his en-
pire.
But at Tenth the shout q the Kremlin is fire y
was heard above the roar of the cOnfagration. and
! Napoleon reluctantly consented to leave. He de-
seconded to the street with his staff and looked about
for way of egress hut the flames blockaded every
passage. At length they discovered postern gate
leading to the Moskwa and entered it, but they had
| only entered still farther into the danger AS Ma
poleon cast his eyes around the open space, Cir
ded and arched with fire, smoke and cinders, he
one single street yet OPEN but all on fire. Into this
he rushed and amid the crash of falling houses, and
i raging of the fames-Oyer burning ruins, through
clouds of rolling smoke and between walls of fire he
| pressed on. and at length half sufocated emerged
in safety from the burning city and took up his quar-
! tiers in the imperial palace of Petrowsky neary
three miles distant. Mortier relieved of his anxiety
for the emperor redoubed his efforts to arrest the
confagration. His men cheerfuly rushed into every
danger. Breathing nothing but smoke and ashes
canOpied by fame smoke and Understandable
by walls of fire that rocked to and fro and fell with
a crash amid the blazing ruins carrying down with
them red hot roofs of iron He struggled against an
enemy that no bOldness could awe or curage over
come These brave troops had heard the tramp OF
cavalry sweeping to battle, without fear; but now
they stood in still terror before the march of the
confagration, under whose burning footsteps was
heard the incessant crash of falling houses and pal
aces. and churches. The continuous OF the IA
ging hurricane. min ed with that of the flames was
more terrible than the roar of the artillery and be-
fore this new foe in the midst of the elements, the
awe struck army stood poweress and atfrig GIFTED.
j When night again descended on the city, it pre-
scented spectacle the like Of which never seer
before, and which battles all description. The streets
were streets of fre-the heavens canopy of fire
ana the entire body ofthe cya of fire fed by the