“Copy of a Letter from and Officer of the United States Army”

Date

2-29-1812

Newspaper

Philadelphia Aurora and General Advertiser

Newspaper Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Serial Number

184

Abstract

Felt Report from Ft. Osage, Missouri for the December 16, 1811 earthquake. Time of the shock was noted to be 6-7 minutes past 2 a. m. lasting 8 minutes. Shocks continued to be felt until December 31, 1811, the time that the letter was written. Notes that it shook dead limbs off of trees, chimneys cracked and plastering broken in houses.

Transcript

Copy of a letter from an officer of the United States army, dated Fort Osage, (Missouri) Dec. 31, 1811. "On the 16th inst. At about 6 or 7 minutes after 2 o'clock, A. M.. we were awoke by a violent agitation of the houses, the guard and centinels, who were awake at the time, say the shock was accompanied with a noise something like that of distant thunder, and the centinels affirm that the agitation of the earth was so great when it first came on, that they could scarcely keep their feet. It lasted about 8 minutes. Between the time of this shock and sunrise, we had four other shocks, less severe, but all of which caused the houses to shake considerably; and since the 16th we have had various other shocks still less severe but very perceptible. Those who were in the woods at the time, say that the first and some of the other shocks shook the dead limbs off the trees in every direction around them. At this place the arch of one chimney has been shaken out, and all the others more or less cracked, as well as the plastering much broken off the houses. From the best observation we could make, the different shocks came from the south, and I can account for the dreadful phenomenon no other way than premising an eruption of the earth to have taken place somewhere on the southern continent of America."

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