Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-10-26
The B.,rnine Of Moscow.

immense volumes of billowy smoke, pier
ced with flames, we're rolling .up into the
stormy sky. Loud explosions of bursting
shells aud upheaving mines scattered
death and dismay around. Suddenly the
thunders as of an earthquake were heard
in another direction. A scoTs of build
ings were thrown into the air. Flaming
prOjectiles of the most conbust ible and
unquenchable material were scattered in
all directions, and new volcano of smoke
and fame commenced itsravages. Earth
quake succeeded earthquake, and volcano
succeeded volcano. The demon of the
storm seemed to exult in l,is high carnival
of destruction. The flames were swept
in all directions. The shower of fire de-
scended upon all the dwellings and all the
streets Mines were sprung, shells burst.
Cannons were discharged, wagons of pow
der and magazines blew up. and IN few
hours of Undesirable confusion and dis
may, tho whole vast city was wrapped in
one wild ocean Of flame. The French
soldiers shot the incendiarics, bayoneted
them, tossed them into the flames, but still
like demons they Piled th :ir work. Ma.
poleon awokc early in tue morning and
looked out upon the flames, which were
sweeping through all parts OF the city,
For the first time in his life, he appeared
excessively agtated. His far.rcaching
mind apprchended at glance. the meas
urelessness of the calamity which was inn
pending. He hurricdly paced his apart
ment; dictated hasty orders. and from
his window anxiously watched the progress
of the Grc The kremin was surround
ed with gardens and shrubbery, and SEEM
ed for a time G. afford shelter from the
flames; but mines of powder were in its
vaults, with various combustibles arranged
to communicate the fire. As Napoleon
gazed upon the confiagration lie exclaimed,
"What frightful spectacle! Such
number of palaces! The people are gem
uinc Scythians." Not even the fiction
of the burning of Troy" said Napoleon
afterward, "though heightened by all the
powers of poetry, could have cqualed the
reality Of the destruction of Moscow.
During the whole of the 18th, and Of
the ensuing night, the gale increased in
severity. and the fire ragged with undated
violence. The city now seemed bit tho
almost boLndless crater Of an iudistin-
guishabe volcano. Various colored
flames shot up to an immense height into
the air. iacessant explosions OF gunpow-
der, saltpetcr out of iron, and stone, and
burning rafters' were hurled far off into
the surrounding plain. crushing many in
their fall Mukitudes cnrircled by tho
flames in the harrow streets were miscra-
bly, burned to death The sceno of con-
fusion and dismay has probably never
been equaled. The soldiers stiflcd with
smoke, singed with flames aud lost i'll the
the streets of the burning city, fled hither
and thither, before a foe whom they were
unable even to attack They were often
seeIf.taggerng beneath immense packages
Of treasure. which they were frequently
compelled to abandon To effect their es-
cape. Miserable women were seen carry
ing one or two children on their shoulders
aud dragging others by til hand. attempt
ing. often in vain, to Fl 20 from these accu-
mula:ing horrors Old men, with boards
singed by the fire, crcpt slowly and feebly
along, aud in many cases were overtaken
and DESTROYED by the coils of flames that
pursued them. Napoleon was indcfatiga-
BILE in his excrtions for the rescue Of his
soldiers and the remaining inhabitants.
At length it was announced that the
Kremlin was fire. The flames 40 eucircled
it that escape seemed almost impossible.
The fire was already consuming the gates
of the citadel. 1t was not until after a
long search that postern could be found
through which the imperial escort could
pass. blinded by cinJcrs and smothcred
a. H., oil,
on foot, till they came to a roaring sea Of
fire, which presented apparently an im-
passable barrier. At last narrow, crook
ed, diycrging street was found blazing in
various parts, and often overarched with
fame. Ii was an outlet which despair
alone could enter. Yet into this formid-
able pass Napoleon and his cDmpanious
were necessarily impelled. With burn
ing fragments falling around, and blazing
cinders showcred upon them, they toiled
along, almost blinded and suffocatel with
heat and smoke.
At length the guide lost his way, and
stopped in utter bcwiderment All NOW
gave themselves up for lost. 1t was re-
marked that in this terrible hour, Napol-
con was perfectly calm and sclf-possessed.
J ust then they caught glimpse of Mar
shal Davoust, who, with company Of
soldiers, was in search of the Emperor.
The marshal had signifed his determine
ton to rescue the hope of France or perish
in the attempt. Napoleon ahcctionately
embraced the devoted Prince They soon
encountered, in the blazing streets, u con-
voy Of gunpowdcr, along which they
were compelled to pass while flaming
cinders were falling around. The energies
of Napoleon's mind were so disciplined
for the occasion that not the slightest in
dication of alarm escaped him. They
soon emerged from the walls of the city.
and Napoleon retired to the castle Of Pc
about three miles from the burn
ing metropolis The Emperor, as he
looked back on the city. gloemlly remark
cd: :" This forbodes no common calami-
ty." 60" 1t was" said he, years afterward,
- The spectacle Of sea and billows Of
Gre, sky and clouds of fine, mountains
of red, rolling flames, like immense waves
Of the sea, alternately bursting forth and
themselves to skies Of fire, and
then sinking into the ocean Of fame below.
All, it was the most grand. the most SUI
blilne, the most terrific sight the world ever
beheld."
The fire began slowly to decrease on tho
9th for want of fuel. q Palaces and tenn
Pies" says Karmanzin, monuments Of
art and miracles of luxury, remains Of
,ges long since past apd the creations Of
yesterday, the t0inbs Of remotest ancestry
md the cradles Of children of the rising
1a,,aratior rvorr ;pIi.critnf tale eeStr0y-