The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-01-07
CHARDON, GEAUGA COUNTY OHIO FRIDAY JANUARY Z 1885,

proaching tho kromlin. and already tho roar
of the flames and crash of falling houses.
and tho cracking Of burning timbors, were
horno to tho ears of the startled Emperor.
lilo arose and walked to and fro, stopping
cOnvulsvoly and gazing on tho terrific scene.
Murat, Eugnno aud Bcrthior rushed into his
presence. and on thoir knoos bcsought him
to flee; but he still clung to that naughty
palace as if it woro his empire.
But at length tho shout Tho Kromlin is
on Are |" was heard above tho roar of tho
conllagration, and Napoleon reluctantly con-
sentod to leave. lIe duscondud into tho
streets with his staff, and looked about for u
way of cgross, but tho flames blocked every
passage. At length they discovered pos
tern cato, leading to tho Moskwr.and cntor-
| cd it-but thcy had entered still further in
to tho danger. As Napoleon cast his oyc
round the open space. girdlod and archod
with fro, smoke aud cinders, he saw ono
single street yet open, hut all on fire. Into
| this he rushed and amid tho crash Of falling
houses aud raging of the flames, over burn.
! irg ruins, through clouds of rolling siuokc,
aud between walls Of fire. no pressed on -
aud ut length. half sulfOcatcd, emerged in
safety from tho Slazing city, and took up
his quarters in tho imperial palace OF Pct
towsky, nearly three miles distant.
Mortier, relieved from his anxiety for tho
! Emperor, fedoubled his efforts to arrest tho
conhagration. Ills men cheerfully rushed
into every danger. Breathing nothing bot
smoke and nshcs-canopicd by ilamo and
smoke and cinGors-surrounded by walls of
| fire that rocked to and fro, and foil with u
crash amid tho blazing ruins, carrying down
with thom rcd-bot roofs of iron-he strug-
! gled against All enomy that no boIdness
could awe or courage overcome. Those
bravo troops had heard the tramp of thou.
sands of cavalry sweeping to battle without
fear; but now they stood IN still terror be-
f1re tho march of tho conhagration, under
whose burning footsteps was heard the in.
cossant crash Of falling houses aud palaces
! and churches. The continuous roar of tho
raging hurricane, mingled with that of tho
tlamcs, was more terrible than the thunder
of artillery; and before this new foo, in the
midst Of this battle of tho clements, tho awe
struck army stood po*orless aud affrghted.
When night again descended on the city,
it presented spectacle, the like of which
was never sepu before, and which battles all
description. Tho streets were streets of fire
tho heavens u canopy of fire.. and tho On.
tire body of the city mass of fire, fei by
hurricane that spod tho blazing fragments
in a constant stream through tho air. In.
ccssant explosions, from tho blowing up Of
| stores of oil and tar and spirits, shook the
very foundations of the city, aud sent vast
volumes of smoke rolling turiously toward
tho sky. Hugo sheets of cauvas on fire came
! floating like messengers of death through
tho flames-the towers and dOmes of tho
churches aud palaces glowing with u red hot
| heat over tho wild sea below, then tottcring
u moment on their basis, were hurled by the
tempest into the common ruin.
Thousands of wretches. before unseen,
were driven by tho heat from tho collars
and novels, and strcamcd in an inccssant
throng through tho streets. Children wore
seen carrying their paronts-the strong the
wcak-whilo thousands aore were stagger-
ing under tho loads of plunder they had
snatchod from the flames. This, too, would
frequently take fire in the falling shower,
and the miserable creatures would DO com
pelod to drop it and flee for their lives. o,
It was a score of woo aud fear incouceivable
and indescribubio A mighty and closely
packed city of houses and churches and pal
aces, wrapped from limit to limit in flames,
which were fed by whirling hurricane, is q
sight this world will seldom 500.
But this was within tho city. To Napole
on without, the spectacle was still more
buu w llcI tnO names UUu
overcome al! Obstacles, and had wrapped
everything in their red mantle, that grca,
city looked like a city of rolling fire. swept
by tempest that drove it into the blllows
Hugo dOmes and towers, throwing off sparks
like blazing frebrands, now disappeared in
their maddcning flow, Us they rushed and
broke high over their tops, scattering thoil
spray of fire against the clouds. Tho hoav.
ems themselves seemed to havo caught tho
coniiagration, and tho angry masses thai
swept it rolled over bosom of fire.
> Columns OF famo would rise and sink
along the surface of this sea, and huge vol.
umcs of black smoke suddenly shoot into
tho air, as II volcanoes were working below
, Tho black fornn of tho Kfcmlin alone tow.
cred above tho chaos-now wrapped in
Hamo aud smoke, again emerging inlo view
standing, amid this sccne of desolat0r
and terror, like Virtue in tho midst of q
: burning world, onvelopod but unscathcd 10y
tho devouring elements Napoleon stoot
and gazcd on tho sccno in silent ave-
Though nearly thrco miles distant, the win
dows and walls Of his apartment wore 30 no
that he could scarcely bear his hand agains
them. Said he, years attorward:
ut was tho spectacle OF u sea and bllow
of fire, a sky and clouds of flame, mo ountaiu
: of rod rolling flames, like immense waves o
tho sea, alternately bursting forth and cle
waiting themselves TO skies of flame below
o ! it was the most grand. tho most sublime
and the most terrific sight tho world ove
| LnhnII I"