“Communicated from the Federal Republican
Date
7-3-1812
Newspaper
Louisiana Gazette
Page and Column
Page 3, Column 1 and 2
Newspaper Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
Serial Number
944
Abstract
Report of a volcanic eruption at St. Vincent’s in the Caribbean. Mentions the earlier earthquake at Caracas. Does not mention the New Madrid earthquakes.
Transcript
COMMUNICATED FOR THE FEDERAL REPUBLICAN Extract of a letter from Grenada, May 7, 1812 VOLCANO. A terrible calamity has just befallen neighbouring Island, of St. Vincents; in these few day past. A Volconic eruption in the north end of the Island covering [unreadable] and lands entirely with stones and ashes of a bluish coloring and some lives, I understand, have been lost. So immense is the power of the eruption, that the neighbouring Island of St. Lucie (which is the direction in which the mountain vomits forth its fire and ashes) is said to be covered three or four inches deep, with the sand, and most of the vessels arriving here have had their decks covered at a great distance from the land, with ashes and small cinders. We heard a few weeks previously; of a dreadful Earth Quake at Caracas and Laguira, which destroyed a great many thousand of the inhabitants; and I have no doubt that the explosion at St. Vincents is some how or other connected with the first of these dreadful calamities, for on the night of the eruption, about midnight, great noises were heard both here and at Trinidad, as well as at Tobago; resembling the noise of cannon discharged in a sea fight, and occasionally vollies of musquetry which I apprehend, must have proceeded from subterraneous causes in the volcanic matter's passage under us; or from the eruption of the mountain at St. Vincents-The volcano is still continually thowing out its fire, and it is feared, will do great damage."
Recommended Citation
"“Communicated from the Federal Republican" (1812). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 918.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/918
