Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (City of Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1853-1857, 1855-01-02
.Assox Hs.aea: 9. rs &.

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A correspondent of the n, z. yndepend-
ent writing from Iowa makes the following
curious and interesting historical revela-
tions:
Ii was not long age that gave you lit
erary curiosity in the shape Of letter of
Thomas CARLYLE to a citizen of Iowa. have
now a historical discovery to communicate.
1t is cut from the Muscatinc Inquirer Of 18th
ultimo:
'Moscow NEVER BCEED Coming up ON
a boat a few days ago, we happened to fall
in company with Senator douglas, who
came on board at Quincy, on his way to War
saw. In the course of very interesting ac-
count of his travels III Russia, much of 1ich
have beeu published by lctterwriters, he ssa-
ted fact which mas never yet been publish
ed but which startingly coutradicts the re-
ceived historical relation of one of the moss
extraordinary events that it ever fell to tho
lot of histo1 ' to record. For this reason tho
Judge said he felt delicacy In making the
assertion that THE CITY Or Moscow NEVER WAS
BURNED.
'.He said that previous to his arrival at
Moscow, he had several disputes with his
guide as to the burning of the city, the guide
declaring it never occurred, and seemed to
be nettled at MIR. Douglass persistency in
bis opinion, but, on examining the 6re-marks
around the city, and the city itself, he be-
came shtisfed that the guide was correct.'
The statement goes on to set forth that the
antiquity of the architectural city--particu-
larlv OF its 'six hundred first class churches"
stretching through ante Napoleonic ages to
pagan times, and showing the handiwork OF
different nations of history --demonstrates
that the CITY was never burned down, Cor up.)
At the risk Of having this statement class
ed with the Nebraska bill--whose author, [
fear, is not good authority with YOU or your
readers for anything especially for history,
| since his outrageous perversions OF the early
history of slavery in the North west, | cut
iagain:
I ssThe kremfn is q space OF several hun
fdred acres. in the heart of the city, IN the
shape Of a fiat-iron, and is closed bv wall
lsKty feet high. Within this inclosure is tho
Imost magnificent palace IN Europe, recently
Ibuilt, but constructed over an an lent palace,
which remains, thus inclosed, whole and per-
feet, with all its windows, etc.
''Near the kremlin, surrounded by wall,
is Chinese town, appearing to be several
hundred years old, still occupied by descend
ants of the original settlers.
''The circumstances which gave rise to the
error concerning the burning IF the ci'y Of
Moscow, were these: Ii is a CITY of 100000
IN .abitants, in circular form, occupying
large space, five miles across. There the
winters are six months long, End The custom
was and still is, to lay up supplies of provis-
ions aud wood to last six months of severe
ly cold weather. To prevent these gigantic
supplies from numbering the heart of the city,I
aud vet render them as convenient as pract-
cal to every locality, a row of wool houses
was constructed to circle completely round
the city, and outside of these was row of
Sranaries, and in these were deposited the
whole of the supplies. Napoleon had enter
ed the city with his army and was himself oe-
cupying the palace of the kremlin, when,
one night, by order of the Russian governor,
every wood house and every granary stimuli
taneously burst into blaze All efforts to
extinguish them were in vain, and Napoleon
found himself obliged to march his army out
through the fire. Retiring TO an eminence
he saw the whole city enyeloped in vast
sheets of flame and clouds of smoke, and
apparently all on fire. And so far as he
was concerned it might as well have been,
! for though houses enough were left to supply
every soldier with room. yet, without pro-
visions or fuel, and Russian army to cut OF
supplies, he and his army could not subsist
there. During this fire some houses were
probably burned, but the city was not. n
the Kremlin magazine blew up, cracking
the church Of Ivan more than hundred feet
up, but setting nothing on fire.
"Mr. Douglas saw the fre-marks around
the city, where wood houses and granarie for
winter supplies now stand as of old, but
there appear no marks Of the conAagration
within the city. On the contrary. it bears
the unmistakeable evidences Of age.''