“On the night of the 15th instant...”
Date
12-21-1811
Newspaper
Carthage Gazette
Page and Column
Page 2, Column 2
Newspaper Location
Carthage, Tennessee
Serial Number
122
Abstract
Felt report from Carthage, Tennessee for the December 16, 1811 earthquake. Time of shocks 3:00 am and sunrise. Damage broken chimney tops. Ground motion was described as reeling and quivering. Buildings shook and tottered.
Transcript
On the night of the 15th instant, about 3 o'clock in the morning, the citizens of Carthage were very much alarmed with the shock of an Earthquake Imagination cannot point out the horrors it produced on the mind! The uncommon darkness of the night; the profound calmness-the houses shakeing and lottering-the earth reeling and quivering to its center. In this situation the inhabitants were aroused from their sleep, perfectly ignorant on their first alarm what gave rise to this awful event---and on mature reflection they were convinced that it was an Earthquake, and that some distant country was falling a victim to its ravages. The next morning about sun rise we received another shock, but not as severe as the first, and have still experienced them at considerable intervals for 48 hours---The tops of several chimneys were shaken off, but no injury received as we have heard of---The concussion has reached as far as we have had it in our power to receive information from. We wait with anxiety to hear what county has been particularly affected by it.
Recommended Citation
"“On the night of the 15th instant...”" (1811). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 120.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/120
