As we continue our discussion on the eyewitness accounts from folks who actually lived during the 1811 to 1812 New Madrid Earthquakes, we find that the areas near the epicenter saw catastrophic damage. But there were effects felt over a good part of the eastern U.S. Because this was such an extreme event and felt over a wide area, people wrote about it.
Here is an example of some of the accounts.
Alexandria, Virginia December 16, 1811 – “On Monday morning last two shocks of an earthquake were sensibly felt in this town, the first between 2 and 3 o’clock, 
the latter about 8. There appeared to be one shock each time, and its undulations, might have continued 30 seconds – It had force enough to shake furniture in houses, and we have heard of some instance of clocks being stopped by throwing their pendulums out of their course of vibrations.”
Allegany County, New York December 16, 1811 – “The earthquake of the 16th Dec., was experienced with considerable severity in Charleston (S.C.) and in Allegany County, N. York. At the place last mentioned, clothes hanging on a line, and a kettle on the fire, swung backwards and forwards, very visibly to every person. A house is supposed to have rocked at least two feet both ways, and a door was observed to swing open and shut. The bells were set to ringing, and the water in the adjacent brook put into violent motion.”
Annapolis, Maryland January 23, 1812 – “A severe shock of an earthquake was experienced by a number of persons in this city yesterday morning, the 22nd inst. about sixteen minutes before ten o’clock. Its duration is supposed to have been about two or three minutes from beginning to end, and its direction 
apparently from E. to S.W. We are informed that the State House, which is supposed to be 250 feet in height vibrated at least 6 to 8 feet at the top, and the motion was perceptible for about 8 or 12 minutes. A number of clocks stopped and the ice in the bay and river cracked considerably. Some persons, who were skating, were very much terrified, and immediately made for shore. In the lower part of the city it appears to have been most forcible, some people being in the act of abandoning their houses, for the purpose of seeking safety in the open air. It is said that a noise like distant thunder was heard about 3 o’clock in the morning, and a slight motion, of the earth observed about 8, but neither were very sensibly heard or felt.”
Augusta, Georgia February 7, 1812 – “From the accounts we have received we believe the Earthquake on Friday last, was more severe in several parts of the country than in this place – at General Twiggs, about 9 miles below this place, we understand that the agitation of the house was so violent as to break fifty squares of windows, and throughout the neighborhood, the concussion created general alarm. By a gentleman from Jefferson we are informed, that on the plantation of Mr Ephraim Ponder, near Bier Creek, about 18 miles from this place, a body of earth about ninety feet in circumference, sunk as was supposed on Friday night last – that the earth being held on one side by the roots of a tree at the edge of the opening, and sunk in a sloping direction, and that the lower part of it was covered with water, in which bottom was not found with a sixteen foot pole.”
Charleston, South Carolina February 7, 1812 – “A few minutes after four o’clock this morning, a shock far exceeding any of those of Dec. and Jan. awoke us from our sleep. – Good God! How awful are thy visitations: how dreadful are thy warning to the harden hearts of men! The bed shook as severely as if two men, one on each side of it, were jerking it two and fro; it seemed to be tossed up and down, as well as from side to side; the posts corners made a dismal rattling, and some of the handles of the drawers & door a frightful noise: the whole rocked like a ship, and we were for at least a minute and a half under the awful impression that we should be buried in its ruins, or swallowed up in the earth: to those who have never felt a severe earthquake, words can scarcely convey an idea of the solemn & terrific impression, which it produces: the idea of buried alive is sufficient to appall the stoutest heart and make a hero tremble. As you might suppose, the higher you are up the stairs, the more sensible the vibrations. A gentleman who felt in the room above us, says that he jumped out of bed under the full impression that the house would fall in ruins.”
The accounts here are just a few of hundreds I have been able to locate. It is obvious that another earthquake on the New Madrid Fault similar to those of 1811 – 1812 would damage this country’s economy so bad that it probably wouldn’t recover in our lifetime. This is a serious threat. But getting prepared will have a positive impact on you and your loved ones. In the next post, I will give accounts of what it was like near the epicenter. If you enjoyed reading this post, feel free to comment on this and be sure to hit the “Like” button at the end of this post.
