GALE OF OCTOBER 1836

Newbern Spectator, Newbern, NC, November 1, 1836

EARLY JUNE 3-4 HURRICANE OF 1825

During a hurricane on June 4, more than 25 unidentified ships were wrecked north of Ocracoke Inlet on the Outer Banks.

Forming ahead of what is now considered hurricane season, a severe tropical storm tormented the Atlantic seaboard from Florida to New York City. It was first sighted near Santo Domingo on May 28th and moved across Cuba on June 1st. Gales began at St. Augustine as the cyclone approached U.S. soil on the 2nd, and at Charleston on the 3rd. 

In North Carolina, the tide rose six feet at New Bern and 14 feet at Adams Creek. More than 25 vessels were driven ashore at Ocracoke, 27 near Washington and a number at New Bern. Coastal plantations were inundated near the South River and there was heavy loss of crops and livestock. There was considerable damage near the waterfront in New Bern.

It raked Norfolk with "undiminished violence" for 27 hours from the morning of the 3rd, as the storm passed by to the east. The wind came in "flaws". Trees were uprooted. At noon on the 4th, stores on the wharves were flooded up to five feet in depth. High winds howled through Washington D.C.. Along with a cold rain, winds leveled crops. The storm then moved northeast past Nantucket on the 5th. 

An account of the storm was given by Ann Waller Tazewell, wife of the then governor of Virginia in a letter to her son. She describes the storm as such 

"....The rain commenced on Friday morning (3rd), and continued pretty steadily all day, at night the wind blew so hard that this house rocked considerably. I was so much alarmed as to be unable to sleep but very little - I thought of my flowers, but could not expect anyone so much as to look after my cows or anything, as the rain fell in torrents, and the wind came in flaws, which made it like thunder yesterday (4th) the storm continued until five in the evening, there was a strong northwest wind all day, and the highest tide I ever saw in my life. The wind and tide together tore down all our enclosures at the other lot, upset our cow-house and then dashed it to pieces, tore up some of the wharf logs, upset the Temple there, and drifted it into the flower garden........We sat at the front windows witnessing the destruction all the time it was going on. Our front lot was two thirds covered by the tide. Some vessels that we saw pass rapidly by, were driven ashore at the Hospital Point (Portsmouth) ...."

She later compares the storm to the great gale of September 1821 in this following passage: " ... Such a storm was never experienced here before, by anyone that I have heard speak of it. It is thought to have been far worse than the September gale of 1821." Mrs. Tazewell's letter also mentions that they could not prepare dinner since the tide level was even with the kitchen floor.

An account of the storm as given by the Norfolk and Portsmouth Herald described the storm as such. It is interesting to note the contrasting opinions between the Norfolk and Portsmouth Ledger and the letter from Mrs. Tazewell regarding the comparisons between this storm and the September gale of 1821: 

" ... It is uncommon to hear of violent storms and hurricanes on any part of our extensive coast in the month of June; but we have to notice a visitation of stormy weather, which commenced about 9 o'clock on Friday night (3rd), rarely if ever equaled within the life span of the oldest inhabitant. The storm of the 3rd of September 1821 was perhaps more violent but it only lasted three or four hours, while this storm continued with undiminished violence, from the hour we have stated until 12 o'clock on Saturday night (4th), or about 27 hours. The wind at the commencement of the storm was northeast and so continued until about 12 o'clock on Saturday, when it began to haul gradually to the northwest and westward, and held up at southwest ..."

HURRICANE OF SEPTEMBER 1821

The first of three recorded tropical cyclones recorded in the 1821 Atlantic hurricane season, the storm that would eventually strike New York was first observed off the southeast United States coast on September 1, with winds estimated in excess of 135 mph (215 km/h). It moved ashore near Wilmington, North Carolina, and passed near Norfolk, Virginia before moving through the Delmarva Peninsula and New Jersey just inland. 

Late on September 2, the hurricane made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina and later turned to the northeast to cross the Pamlico Sound. In North Carolina, a powerful storm surge flooded large portions of Portsmouth Island; residents estimated the island would have been completely under water had the worst of the storm lasted for two more hours. Strong winds occurred across eastern North Carolina, resulting in at least 76 destroyed houses. Numerous people were killed in Currituck.

On September 3 at least 7 vessels were destroyed in the Ocracoke/Portsmouth area; The Susan, en route to Baltimore from Ocracoke under Captain Thomas, was driven ashore and lost; the schooner Milo, en route to New Bern under Captain Fisher. Cargo of claret wine and molasses was lost; the schooner John Burney bilged and was totally lost; the Federalist, under the command of Captain Luther (home port Washington) was a total loss. Crew was saved; the Emeline, under Captain Caruther, ran ashore in the breakers while trying to put to sea and was totally lost; the Olive Branch and John Wallace also sank at Ocracoke.

HURRICANE OF SEPTEMBER 1815

The 1815 North Carolina hurricane was first detected east of the Lesser Antilles on 26 August, the disturbance drifted toward the northwestern Leeward Islands, arriving by 29 August. The hurricane soon approached Charleston, South Carolina, on 1 September, and subsequently made landfall near Cape Lookout on 3 September. The hurricane caused significant impact even before coming ashore: many vessels were damaged, grounded, capsized or destroyed offshore throughout the course of the storm. Overall, the hurricane inflicted at least 15 deaths throughout its existence,

The hurricane destroyed ships from Cape Fear to Currituck. At Wilmington, the storm inflicted damage to numerous buildings, among them the Cape Fear Bank, which suffered the loss of its chimneys. The city's wharves also experienced moderate damage, with a sloop from Bermuda capsizing and a brig separating from port, drifting toward a nearby plantation. At Swansboro, two schooners struck a sand bar and another two were grounded nearby, and three other vessels later washed into a nearby forest.

The remnants of a small unidentified vessel were discovered, abandoned, near the origin of the New River, likely delivering cheese from New England. At Beaufort, several structures along the shoreline experienced damage, and several under construction ships were wrecked. Nearby at the Shackleford and Bogue Banks, several watercraft were destroyed. To the north, another 30 boats were found destroyed near Ocracoke. Six men were killed after being knocked overboard upon the Julia, which was washed aground between Hatteras and Ocracoke. Additionally, a number of vessels were grounded near Cape Hatteras. Inland. At Washington, the storm caused the neighboring Pamlico River to rise at a speed of 15 in (38 cm) per hour before peaking at a height 8 ft (2.4 m) above normal. Massive amounts of lumber and naval goods were swept away by the high waters, and numerous ships broke free of their moorings, of which two were beached.

GALE OF OCTOBER 1806

On October 14^th, the Wilmington Gazette reported the following accounts of the last storm.

“Shell-Castle, Sept 29 – About 12 o’clock last evening a gale at ENE commenced and increased in its violence until about 4 a.m. when it shifted to ESE and blue the most tremendous storm, ever I believe, witnessed by a human being, until six o’clock, when it got further to the southward, and finally to WSW where it still continues to blow with excessive force. The cutter belonging to this station under the command of Captain Henderson, upset and sunk at her anchors. He, thank God, with five of the crew are saved, three poor fellows, belonging to her are lost, their names are Frederick Cherry, Jacob (a Russian), and J.S. Romnin.

   Nearly all the lighters of the navigation sank, ashore, or dismasted. In Wallace’s channel, the ship CAPT McKEEL of Washington, main and mizzen mast gone, ashore. The ship CONNELIA, Captain Common of Washington ashore; the schooner (name unknown), Captain Bracket, master, belonging to Messrs. Marshes of Washington, ashore & sunk, a schooner (name unknown), belonging to Mr. Eborn of Washington, dismasted, ashore and sunk; schooner MOUNT VERNON, Captain Fisher, of Newbern, lost entirely, but it is believed no lives lost. A small sloop which arrived last evening from Jamaica, with rum, name unknown yet, upset on the east point of Beacon Island, the people are now seen on her bottom, there is some prospect of them and the cargo being saved. Schooner HORIZON, Captain Jerkins, still at anchor above the swash, main mast cut away. Sloop UNION, Captain Keals, ashore dismasted. In short but one vessel in the whole navigation afloat and all standing, and that a singular instance of preservation; it is a lighter belonging to Mr. James Jones of Newbern, who struck adrift with two anchors a hear, at the Castle, and drifted two and a half miles to the Royal shoal, where she brought up, and rode out the storm – only a small black boy on board.

   I have now to add, to the tale of destruction, the total loss of the immensely valuable, philosophical and mathematical instruments of col. Tatham, he yesterday put them on board the GOVERNOR WILLIAMS, for the purpose of having them conveyed to Newbern, and they are now buried with her in two fathom water; Altho’ there is no doubt, but Capt. Henderson will be able to get her up, we fear all the apparatus will be totally ruined, a loss … to be sincerely deplored by the lovers of science.”

Another short paragraph, on the same subject, appeared in the same edition of the Gazette:

“We are happy to learn from Col. Tatham who arrived in town yesterday, that his loss stated in the above communication does not include his philosophical apparatus, which was chiefly left in Virginia and sent up to Newbern before the storms commenced. His work for public account, a valuable assortment of instrument, books, papers, and clothing are, however, sunk in the cutter, and cannot be replaced … such was the scene of distress when I arrived that we lay on our oars & counted thirty one wrecked in one single view around us.”

Also in the same issue of the Gazette the following article was published, concerning the storm and the cutter mentioned above:

"Ocracock, September 30 -- The cutter DILIGENCE arrived from sea on the 28th inst in the evening about sun down anchored close to Shell Castle, bearing NE. A gale came on at NE about 10 o'clock and at twelve blew a most violent gale: The cutter upon perceiving the violence of the gale and the sea flying over in such quantities as to endanger her foundering, threw her guns overboard and while in the act of cutting away her masts, she broke adrift and run foul of a small schooner on a shoal about a mile from the Castle bearing WSE and there sunk. The officers and crew retreated aboard the little schooner who survived the gale and were taken off as soon as the weather would permit by the humanity of governor Wallace and Mr. Tuck the only inhabitants of the Castle without being able to save the least article of clothing whatever. One of the commissioners for surveying the coast of North Carolina was on board, and Thomas Coles, Esq., we are sorry to add that all his papers and effects of every kind were buried in the ruins of the cutter. One of the crew, an active young man, only was left, and we are happy to announce that the officers, commissioner and crew are generally in good health."

"Charleston, October 6 -- On Friday last, about 20 miles south of Cape Hatteras in 15 fathoms water, Captain Dawson fell in with the wreck of the schooner VALENTINE, Captain Eaton, belonging to Portland. Captain Dawson took Captain Eaton, and one seaman, Mr. John Reed, of Freeport, from the wreck, where they had been for four days, without food or nourishment; the mate, Mr. Edward Grow, and two seamen, Edwin Figures, of Edenton, and Thomas Clark, of Cape Elizabeth, were washed off the wreck and drownd."

A final note concerning the storm appeared in the Gazette on October 14th:

"... There is scarcely a single vessel in the vicinity of the Castle that is not stranded, and many very valuable lives lost to the community, tho' considering the fury and sadness of the gale, the loss of lives have not been so great as might have been expected."

THE HALIFAX GALE ~ December 1796

NORTH CAROLINA JOURNAL

Halifax, North CarolinA

5 December 1796

   We have to lament the loss of some lives on this melancholy occasion: amongst them two valuable, useful, worthy men, Capt. Wm. Gillespie, of the brig Glory and Capt. James Burnside, of the sloop Anna, -- four of the French prisoners are missing, and are supposed to have been washed overboard when the prison ships went adrift. A Negro man belonging to Capt. Artfill, one belonging to the estate of Mr. Tarrnal, and a Negro boy belonging to Capt. Elliot were drowned.

   The following is the best information we can procure of the fate of the vessels that were in the harbor – His Majesty’s sloop Swallow, Capt. Fowke rode out the gale; sustained little or no injury. Ship Nancy, Davidion, grounded, but got off little damaged. Ship Union, Borrowdale, rode out the gale; lost her mizzen mast. Ship Lively, Moultrie, dismasted and grounded, but got off. Schooner Alice, Stowell, driven ashore, but got off without much injury, Brig George, Henderson, Ashore on Hog Island, not materially injured. Brig Glory, Gillespie, ashore and bilged. Brig Brothers, Wallace, Ashore, loft her bow sprit, and otherwise much injured. Brig Africa gone to pieces. Brig Sophia, Crothers, lost. American brig Mary Anne Johnston, ashore. Snow Charlotte, Tucker, ashore, dismasted. Schooner True Blue, ashore. Schooner Lovely Lass, lost. Schooner George and Ophelia, do. Schooner Sailor’s Delight, ashore. Schooner Polly, dismasted. Sloop Maxwell, ashore, Sloop Henrietta, drove against Forbes, Munto, and Roe’s Warf, injured in her upper works. Sloop William and Mary, ashore, lost her bowsprit and keel. American sloops Planter, Fancy, Catherine, and Harriet, lost. Sloops Anna, Burnside, Conrade, Newton, Rambler, Elliot, and St. Andrew, lost. Schooner Little Flying Fish, lost. Sloops Sally and Dolphin, upset. Schooner Little Negro lost, Sloop Betsy, ashore, dismasted. Schooner Packet, do. Thunder and Rattlesnake galleys, do. Two person vessels, do. One ditto ashore. Two pilot boats lost. A Spanish Schooner and Sloop, do. Two schooners and two sloops whose names we have not learnt, do. A great many boats were lost, and some driven ashore to the westward.

   The Narcissus and Porcupine frigates were lying moored under Sandy Kay, about 7 miles E. of this town, when the gale came on. The Narcissus, we are truly concerned to state, is stranded on Long Key; happily not a life was lost, and it is expected that great part of the stores will be saved. The Porcupine after the gale, was seen at anchor under Sandy Key dismasted. We have only learned that they drove over a reef, and that it is expected she will be got round later to this harbor.

   The injury sustained ashore on this island is trivial when compared to the devastation among the shipping. The belfry of Christ Church, trees, fences, Negro huts, and some old buildings were blown down; and two dwelling houses in the suburb of this town unroofed.

   By the reports given by masters of several vessels arrived from the Northward and westward since Tuesday, it would appear that they had not the gale nearly too violent as it was here.

TWIN HURRICANES OF AUGUST 1795

During the month of August 1795, two parallel track hurricanes passed through North Carolina. The first on August 2 & 3 ... the second 10 days later on August 12 & 13.

The first storm passed through North Carolina to the south of Norfolk bringing rain throughout the mid-Atlantic, disrupting mail service and damaging crops in Annapolis where trees were leveled and the tide was so high that "one could not get to the Market House without a Boat." 

"Vessels were driven ashore by the tempest." (From the Diary of William Faris: The Daily Life of an Annapolis Silversmith). Six unidentified ships were wrecked at the Ocracoke Inlet bar, among them the brig Esther with most of her cargo from Jamaica. 18 Spanish ships, sailing from Havana to Spain were driven ashore at Cape Hatteras ... an undisclosed number of them were lost.

A major hurricane, the second storm struck North Carolina and produced high winds as far inland as Winston-Salem and caused additional flooding. At Monticello, near Charlottesville, Thomas Jefferson noted that the loss of soil from the heavy rain thus far that month could be "modestly estimated at a year's rent" (Ludlum). A "powerful torrent of rain" deluged Petersburg; creeks were at their highest point of the past 70 years (North Carolina Journal). 

Winds were gusty at Farmville, where a "great fresh" was reported. Annapolis reported strong winds and rains on August 13 as well. Thomas Jefferson recorded this hurricane in his journal as his plantation at Monticello suffered heavy crop losses. The two storms caused the Appomattox river to crest more than 12 feet above flood stage. gust 1795,