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18 year old Gaius Plinius (Pliny the Younger) witnessed the incredible catastrophe from his uncle's  villa in the city of Misenum on the Bay of Naples, about 20 miles from Mount Vesuvius. In writing to the Roman historian Tacitus of what he saw, he states,

18 year old Gaius Plinius (Pliny the Younger) witnessed the incredible catastrophe from his uncle's  villa in the city of Misenum on the Bay of Naples, about 20 miles from Mount Vesuvius. In writing to the Roman historian Tacitus of what he saw, he states,

On August 24, about one in the afternoon, my mother drew my uncle's attention to a cloud of unusual size and appearance. It was not clear from a distance as to which mountain the cloud was rising from, although it was afterward known to be Vesuvius. The cloud's appearance can best be described as looking like an umbrella pine (Mediterranean pine tree), for it rose to a great height on sort of a trunk and then split off into branches. I believe, because it was first driven by a sudden gust of air, then, with its diminution or because of the weight, the cloud expanded laterally, sometimes white, sometimes dark and stained by the sustained sand and ash.

{{cquote|On August 24, about one in the afternoon, my mother drew my uncle's attention to a cloud of unusual size and appearance. It was not clear from a distance as to which mountain the cloud was rising from, although it was afterward known to be Vesuvius. The cloud's appearance can best be described as looking like an umbrella pine (Mediterranean pine tree), for it rose to a great height on sort of a trunk and then split off into branches. I believe, because it was first driven by a sudden gust of air, then, with its diminution or because of the weight, the cloud expanded laterally, sometimes white, sometimes dark and stained by the sustained sand and ash.}}

Realizing Vesuvius was erupting, the uncle of Gaius  Pliny the Elder, commander of the naval fleet at Misenum, ordered warships be launched which he took across the bay to rescue whoever he could. Landing there proved impossible due to the the hot, thick ashes and pumice (large chunks of lava), and so Pliny headed for Stabiae, a city 3 miles south of Pompeii, to the home of Pomponianus, a friend. . Because of the opposing wind, the decision was made to stay overnight and to leave at daybreak an attempt to rescue others.  Meanwhile on Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasized by the darkness of night, and though  Pliny the Elder, who might have  been asthmatic,  slept, yet upon attempting to leave the  next morning he was overcome by the  flames and sulfur and he passed out and died. A few of his men did make made it  Misenum and Gaius heard the news about his uncle. Later, wrote to Tacitus of the morning of his father's death,   

Realizing Vesuvius was erupting, the uncle of Gaius  Pliny the Elder, commander of the naval fleet at Misenum, ordered warships be launched which he took across the bay to rescue whoever he could. Landing there proved impossible due to the the hot, thick ashes and pumice (large chunks of lava), and so Pliny headed for Stabiae, a city 3 miles south of Pompeii, to the home of Pomponianus, a friend. . Because of the opposing wind, the decision was made to stay overnight and to leave at daybreak an attempt to rescue others.  Meanwhile on Mount Vesuvius broad sheets of fire and leaping flames blazed at several points, their bright glare emphasized by the darkness of night, and though  Pliny the Elder, who might have  been asthmatic,  slept, yet upon attempting to leave the  next morning he was overcome by the  flames and sulfur and he passed out and died. A few of his men did make made it  Misenum and Gaius heard the news about his uncle. Later, wrote to Tacitus of the morning of his father's death,