The Virginia Gazette

On Tuesday the 25th of July last, between the Hours of Twelve and One at Noon, there happened one of the most dreadful Hurricanes of Hail, accompanied with Wind and Lightning, that has been known in the Memory of the oldest living; the Hail-stones were of so prodigious a size, and flew with such velocity, that they broke many of the Windows in Town, and split the Tiles of Houses, wounding divers Passengers and Horses upon the Road, tearing large Branches of the tallest Trees, and destroying vast Quantities of Fruit; Numbers of People ran about Uxbridge with bloody Hands and Faces cut with the Stones. Mr. Sergeant at the Crown Inn had three large Chickens and two Pidgeons killed in his Yard, besides all the Glasses that covered his Beds in the Garden, broke to Pieces, together with the Windows of his Cupola, his Damage alone being computed at 20 l. The Birds were struck dead in the Air in vast Numbers, and the Horses took fright and ran away on the Road. In a word, all Nature that beheld it, stood shocked and amazed. The Storm continued about a Quarter of an Hour, and was felt about a Mile and a half round the Place. The Hail-stones being gathered up, some of them were found to measure eight or nine Inches round, and to be a harder Consistence than even Ice itself; the Inhabitants have taken care to preserve many of them, for the Satisfaction of the Curious.