“Earthquake”

Date

2-8-1812

Newspaper

Savannah Republican

Page and Column

Page 2, Column 3 and 4

Newspaper Location

Savannah, Georgia

Serial Number

705

Abstract

Long detailed felt report for the February 7, 1812 earthquake at Savannah, Georgia. Good account

Transcript

EARTHQUAKE.-Within the last few weeks past, the slight recurrence of this phenomenon has been so frequent, that we have not thought it worthy of particular notice, but on the morning of the 7th instant, at 4 o clock, most of the inhabitants were awakened by the violence of a shock which continued from 45 to 60 seconds, and was so alarming, that many did not venture to return to their beds during the remainder of the morning. The motion of the earth was from north-west to south-east, as appeared by a pendulum which had been fixed for the purpose immediately after the shock of the 16th December. Its vibrations were elliptical in the direction above mentioned. The sky was overcast, and had been so from 2 P. M. the preceding day, during which time the wind gradually shifted, north-about, from south-west to north-east; where it is presumed. The vane pointed during the shock. The atmosphere was perfectly calm; but soon after, there was heard a rumbling noise, like distant thunder, succeeded by a great fall of rain; and at day-light two extremely severe claps of thunder, quite unusual at this season of the year. The wind had been very high and cold, on the 6th, but abated at sundown; and the atmosphere became more warm in the night-particularly so, immediately after the earthquake. During the whole of the 7th, it was cloudy, with almost incessant rain until dark, when there appeared to be a fog. At 35 minutes past 8 P M there was a second; and at 11 P. M. a third more violent than the second, but not so much so as the first. Many persons imagined, that the earth was in continual motion, in different degrees, between the second and third shocks: and the writer of this is of opinion, that the motion of the earth did not cease for an hour after the last shock was distinctly felt; and this opinion is corroborated by the continuance of the vibrations of the pendulum during the time mentioned. The sky was perfectly clear and the stars shone bright at the recurrence of the last shock. All the motions of the earth seemed to be undulatory, and in the direction of the first. S.

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