“Earthquake”
Date
12-19-1811
Newspaper
The Times
Page and Column
Page 3, Column 1
Newspaper Location
Charleston, South Carolina
Serial Number
97
Abstract
Felt report for the December 16, 1811 earthquake from Savannah and White Bluff Georgia( 8 miles west of Savannah). Account notes first quake was precede by a flash of light. Account notes four shocks. Effects were difficulty of standing. Direction of shocks was from south west to north east. Very extensive account.
Transcript
EARTHQUAKE! SAVANNAH, DECEMBER 17 Four shocks of an Earthquake have been sustained by our town, and it, neighbourhood, within the last two days. The first commenced yesterday morning, between 2 and 3 o'clock, preceded by a meteoric flash of light, and accompanied with a rumbling noise, resembling that of a carriage passing over a paved pathway, and lasted about a minute. A second succeded; almost immediately after, but its continuance was of much shorter duration. A third shock was experienced about 8 o'clock in the morning, and another to-day about one. Persons from White Bluff. (about 8 miles from town, southwardly) felt it very sensibly; and several who were up at the time, state that the movement of the earth made then; totter as though they were on ship-board in a heavy swell of the sea. Those who were up at the time, conceive its direction to have been from south-west to north-east. We have received several communications on the subject, apparently hastily drawn up. Having been promised a very particular account by a scientific gentleman, we have laid by all except the following; which had been previously in type.- "At three minutes past three, yesterday morning, the shock of an earthquake was sensibly felt in Savannah. The undulating motion of the earth, continued upwards of two minutes to the belief of the writer; and appeared to be from north to south. Was this occasioned by the retiring of the comet from our sphere? The mercury, in Fahrenheit's Thermometer, trembled excessively. At a quarter before nine, the tremulous motion of the earth continues. "The observations of others say, that, at eight yesterday morning, there were also two distinct shocks, and it is very possible that a violent earthquake has occurred in the West-India Islands or South-America. "In 1692, Port Royal, in Jamaica was totally destroyed by an earthquake, lat 18, N. Lisbton, November 1, 1735, lat 38, 42, N, and Lima, in Peru, in 1746, lat. 12, 1, S. were also nearly destroyed, and many souls perished. This is the second in Georgia, within a short period." Republican.
Recommended Citation
"“Earthquake”" (1811). New Madrid Compendium Far-Field Database. 95.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/cas-ceri-new-madrid-compendium/95
