The National tribune., 1898-04-21

and again emerging into view-standIng
amid this scene of desolation and terror,
like virtue in the midst of burning world
enveloped but unscathed by the deVoIring
elements.
Napoleon stood and gaZed on this scene
i'm silent awe. Though nearly three miles
distant, the windows and walls of his
apartment were so hot that he could
scarcely bear his hand against them.
Said he, years afterward:
1T was the spectacle OF a sea and billow
of fire, sky and clouds of fame, mount
aims of red rolling fame, like immense
waves Of the sea, alternately bursting
forth and elevating themselves to skies OF
fire, and then sinking into the ocean of
fame below. OH il was the most grand,
the most sublime, and the most terrific
sight the world ever beheld."
When the contiagration subsidized, Nor
| tier found himself Governor of city Of
ashes. Nine-tenths OF Moscow had sunk
in the flames, and the gorgeous Capital,
| with its oriental magnificence-ltS palaces,
and towers, and gardens, was heap Of
smoking ruins, amid which wandered half
naked, starving wretches, like specters
| around the place OF the dead.
Napoleon returned to the kremlln, but
| the spectacle the camps of the soldiers
presented as he passed through them, was
one his eye had never rested on before.
| The soldiers had here and there thrown
together a few boards to shelter them from
the weather, and sprinkled over the soft,
| wet ground with straw To keepo # the damp
ness, and there, reclining under sllken
| canopies or sitting in elegant chairs, with
| Cashmere shawls and the costliest furs
| and all the apparel OF the noble and
wealthy stTewed around them, they fed
their campfires with mahogany furniture
and ornamental work which had a few
days before decorated the palaces of the
noble"
The half-starved wretches were eating
from silver plates, though their only food
was a miserable black cake and half
boiled horse-flesh. In the interval between
them and the city, were crowds OF dis
banded soldiers, staggering under the
weight of plumber, and among them many
Russians, men and women, seeking the
campfires Of their enemies. In the city it
was still worse. and an insuiferable Stencn
arose from the smoking mass. All diSci-
pine was lost, and the disbanded army
swarmed through the streets for plumber.
This they gathered into the open places,
and bartcred away with their friends.
Thus the poor creatures loaded them
selves with gold and silver, and costly
apparel. little thinking how valueleSS the
snowdrifts Of Russia would soon make
them.
When Napoleon was again established in
the Kremlin, he put stop TO this disorder.
according 10 rule.
MORTIER TO COVER RETREAT.
At length, the reluctant Napoleon turned
his back on the towers OF Moscow. con
| Tossing 10 the world that after the loss OF a
hundred thousand men and incredible toll
he had erasped only Il phantom. IL was
| necessary that someone should cover his
retreat by remaining in the city, and Nor
| tier was appointed To- this unwelcome task
Had the Young Guard been left with him
! il would not have been so hopeless an
undertaking; but only 1000 were put under
/ his command, Of which not more than a
I quarter could be relied upon. With this
| handful OF men he was 10 cover NaDo-
| leons retreat. and when he could hold olIt
no longer 10 blow up the kremlin and loin
| the rear guard Of the army. II was neces-
sary for someone To do this for the safety OF
the army, and the lot fell more naturally
on Mortier as Governor of the city. That
| ls-a sacrifice was demanded and il
| seemed proper that Mortier should be the
| victim.
Tha: he should escape the whole Rus
| sian army was not to be expected and
| when his friends took their farewell il
| was as with one they should never see
| again. Alortier himself looked on his
| career as ended, but made no complaint
! Without muTmur lac set about fulfilling
| the task allotted him.
As the army Withdrew from the city tho
| Cossacks began To swarm around il, anc
| finally drove Mortier and his feeble bant
into the Kremlin. These were followed b,
10, 600 Russians, who pressed around thu
! French Marshal.
To perform the double task assigned hin
OF defending the city and blowing up tn,
hremlln he was compelled, even while h,