“the following is the substance of a letter...”

Creator

Jesse Hunt

Date

4-4-1812

Newspaper

Western Spy

Page and Column

Page 3 Column 3

Newspaper Location

Cincinnati, Ohio

Serial Number

35

Abstract

Report by Jesse Hunt of damage on the Mississippi river by the New Madrid earthquakes. Talks of damming of the river at New Madrid, massive subsidence of river and damage all the way from New Madrid to Little Prairie. Notes Little Prairie was abandoned and that New Madrid was destroyed by the February 7, 1812 earthquake.

Transcript

The following is the extract of a letter from Mr. Jesse Hunt, of this town, dated near Fort Pickering, Feb. 17th. Mr. H. had got this far on his passage down to Natchez, without experiencing any uncommon obstruction in the Mississippi, tho' frequently shook by earthquakes, especially on [unreadable] that river. About [unreadable text] injury received. About 20 miles above New Madrid the land was sunk in many places and in other cleft with fissures. Found a part of the town sunk from one to 5 feet in depth; the buildings entirely 'racked down, and not a chimney left standing. According to report of the inhabitants, the country for 20 miles back was entirely destroyed; in some parts sunk; in others broken up with fissures, and lying in waves like the ocean.'-'Twas also said, the river rose from 10 to 20 feet in the short space of 20 minutes-that several boats were lost, others driven on shore: that a family of a mother and 7 children were lost with one of the boats, the husband only being saved. From FT P. to the Little Prairie, Mr. H. says, the scene is truly distressing and far beyond the account given of it by Mr. Beckle published in the Western Spy some time since, Mr. Blackman, a gentleman in company and well acquainted with the Mississippi, says, he does not see much difference, as to the sawyers, except that in one or two places, they are turned with their roots upwards, and stand somewhat thicker than before the convulsions occurred. Mr. H. confirms what was said in our last number, as to the inhabitants of New Madrid having fled and encamped in the fields; and adds that the cause of its ruin was the early shock of the 7th Feb. The Little Prairie was entirely abandoned.

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