Electronic Supplement to
Reverberations on the Watery Element: A Significant, Tsunamigenic Historical Earthquake Offshore the Carolina Coast

by Susan E. Hough, Jeffrey Munsey, and Steven N. Ward

Table S2. Accounts of the foreshocks and aftershocks, and ship reports.

Berks and Schuylkill Journal, January 18, 1817 (Berks County, PA)

EARTHQUAKE - The shock of an Earthquake was felt in this city yesterday, between 12 and 1 o’clock. It caused a tremor of the ponderous earth for about 11 seconds. (Story reported from Charleston, SC, 31 December 1816)

Salem Gazette, 1/28/1817 (Salem, NC)

SEA QUAKE. Norfolk, Jan. 11. We are informed by Capt. Bell, of the Sch’r Decatur, from St. Bartholomews, that on his homeward passage, on the 31st ult. being in lat. 27, 25N, long 70, 50W, his vessel experienced an uncommon severe shock, from a sudden convulsion of the sea, occasioned, as may readily be supposed, by an earthquake. So violent was the undulation which he experienced, that the compass was nearly unshipped. This happened at 1 PM, at half past 12 the same evening another shock was very sensibly felt. (Story reported from Norfolk, VA)

Norfolk Beacon, January 10, 1817 (Norfolk, VA)

Earthquake—Capt. Bell of the schr. Decatur arrived here in 16 days from St. Bartholomews, informs, that on the 31st of December, at 1 o’clock PM being in the lat. of 27, 25, lon. 70, 55, they experienced a very severe shock of an Earthquake, which was accompanied with a noise so much resembling that of a vessel when striking a rock or wreck, that they for some time believed it actually to be the case. It imparted to the vessel a tremulous motion which was very appalling, and nearly unshipped the compasses. The pumps were tried, but from her making no more water than usual, it was evident that she had not struck any thing. At half past 12 the same night, theyfelt another shock but nothing like as severe as the first. We have heard several of our citizens state that they felt a shock here on the same day and about the same hour.

American Advocate, February 15, 1817 (Watertown, NY)

Capt. Smith, of brig Rover, ar. at Boston, informs, that on the 30th Dec. lat. 25, lon. 68, at half past one, P.M. he heard an uncommon noise from the Northward, and in about ten minutes the vessel was in a tremor, from the royal mast head to the kilson.

Spectator, February 1, 1817 (New York, NY)

From our Correspondent, Exchange Coffee House, and Intelligencer Office. Boston, Jan. 23 Arrived last night, brig Rover, Smith, 27 days from Trinity, Mart. Dec. 30, lat 26,6, long 67, 10, heard an uncommon noise from the northward, and in about ten minutes after, the vessel experienced a very strong tremulous motion. (Story reported from Boston, MA)

Trenton Federalist, 2/3/1817 (Trenton, NJ)

Norfolk, Jan. 23. The Georgiana, on her passage from Martinique to this port, being then in the Gulph Stream (sic), experienced a tremendous shock, occasioned by an Earthquake, which gave alarm to every person on board, and induced a belief at first, that some dreadful accident had befallen the ship. The wind was perfectly still at the time this strange occurrence took place, which was on the 13th inst., while the crew were at breakfast. (Story reported from Norfolk, VA)

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