“Extract of a Letter”

Date

2-1-1812

Newspaper

Virginia Herald

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 1 and 2.

Newspaper Location

Fredricksburg, Virginia

Serial Number

1095

Abstract

Letter from West River, Maryland, 20 miles south of Annapolis. Notes effect of January 23, 1812 earthquake. Detailed account noting appearance of earthquake lights, saying of house, nausea. First earthquake noted January 23 about 9 o’clock am(local time) Notes swaying of picture 18 inches to two feet.

Transcript

Baltimore, Jan. [unreadable]. Extract of a letter to the Editors of the Federal Republican, dated West River, January 23. This morning at about 9 o'clock a friend of mine, captain Franklin, Miss Webster and myself, had just sat down to breakfast, when captain F. observed, "What's that? An Earthquake!" at the same instant, we felt as if we were in the cabin of a vessel, during a heavy swell. This sensation continued from one to two minutes, possibly longer. For although I had the presence of mind to take out my watch, I felt too sick to observe accurately its duration. The feeling was by no means tremulous, but a study vibration. A portrait about four feet in length, suspended from the ceiling by a book and staple, and about five eights of an inch from the side wall, vibrated at least from 18 inches to two feet each side, and so very steady, as not to touch the wall. My next neighbor and his daughter felt the same sensation about the same time. The father supposed it the gout in the head. The daughter got up and walked to a window, supposing the heat of the fire had caused what she considered a faintness. Two others that I have seen, mentioned to have felt the same, but none of them had thought of an earthquake. The two last being mechanics and up late, mentioned, they were much alarmed at about 11 o'clock last night, by a great rumbling, as they tho't in the earth attended with several flashes of lightning, which so lighted their house, that they could have picked up the smallest pin-one mentioned that the rumbling and light accompanied by a noise like that produced by throwing a hot iron into snow, only very loud and terrific, so much so, that he was fearful to go out to see what it was, for he never once thought of an earthquake. I have thrown together the above particulars, supposing an extract may meet with corroborating accounts, and afford some satisfactions to your readers. P. S. The lightning and rumbling noise came from the south-I have just heard of its being felt in several other houses, but not any particulars more than related.

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