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LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

The ardent indefatigable Murat traversed this superb cityof Moscow without taking a moment’s rest, and scarcelylooking either to his right or to his left; but, hastening on theroad (Voladimir) in Asia, he fell again on the Russian rear-guard, and drove them before him. By command of theEmperor, he returned to Moscow , and took up his quarters inthe Palace of Count Razomowki. The burning of Moscow is well known to my readers, and I have nothing new tooffer on that head, except that Murat, always true to hischaracter for benevolence, opened his quarters, which werenot consumed, to about a hundred Russians , aged, infirm,children, and females, who had been left behind in theconfusion of the evacuation, and were left, by the confla-gration, without shelter or food. His cavalry was encampedat Winkowno, on the side of Asia ; the whole French armyformed a circle around the city. Murat set out again withhis vanguard, to trace, if possible, the tortuous retreat ofthe Russian General-in-chief; but it was only after threeday’s search that he discovered, that Kutasoff had taken thedirection of Kaluga . He advanced to reconnoitre, andwrote to the Emperor that another battle was most essentialto bring the war to a conclusion. On the 29th of September,Murat had a sharp and advantageous conflict with theKutasoff cavalry ; but, on the 4th of October, the Russian General, Miloradowitch, having been pursued somewhatincautiously by the division of General Sebastiani, suddenlyturned, and fell upon it with twelve thousand horse, andplaced Sebastiani in a situation of great danger. Fortu-nately, the divisions of Prince Poniatowski and Murat cameup in time, and drove back the Russians .

The day after this fresh discomfiture of the Russians ,(5th October) Napoleon decided upon sending GeneralLauriston to the Emperor Alexander , who, he had been ledto believe , was inclined to treat for peace. Hostilities were