The Virginia Gazette

WILLIAMSBURG, Sept. 14.

As last Friday morning, about one o'clock, came on at northeast a most dreadful hurricane, attended with rain, which came down in torrents. It blew most violently from that quarter until between ten and eleven o'clock, and then shifted to the northwest, when the storm increased, and continued, without any abatement, until about dinner time. The damage done in the country must be inconceivable, for the corn is laid level with the ground, and much of it destroyed; the fodder is entirely gone. What tobacco was in the fields is quite spoiled, and that in houses, by their falling, and the deluges of rain which poured into them, greatly damaged, which may likewise be said of the wheat. There was not a dry house in town that day, many old houses were blown down, and a number of trees. The woods are entirely covered with fallen trees, many of the largest bulk, which has blocked up the roads, so that there is no travelling with carriages. The farther up the country the fiercer the storm was, and most of the mills are destroyed; upwards of fifty, we hear, between this and Newcastle.

From Hampton we hear that all the small craft there is driven ashore; and Captain Fearon, for London, lying in the road, was obliged to cut away his mainmast, but rode out the gale. All the shipping and small vessels at Norfolk are aground, many of them dismasted; some of the wharfs are gone, and others much damaged.

The shipping, &c. at York, have suffered greatly. The Captains Lilly, Waterman, Etten, and Hubbard, were all driven ashore. The two first are now unloading, and will be got off; the other two are already afloat, and have sustained little damage. Captain Martin, for Bristol, was likewise driven ashore, but got off the same day. Captain Banks, for Liverpool, is ashore below Wormeley's creek, with eleven feet water in his hold, and it is supposed cannot be got off. Captain Hamlin, lately arrived from London, cut away his fore and mizzen masts, and was the only vessel in York that rode out the storm. The sloop Nancy, Robertson, a light vessel, was driven ashore below the wharf. A light sloop of Captain Whiting's is sunk on Gloucester point. Another sloop, James Mudie master, for Lisbon, laden with wheat, went ashore below Wormeley's creek, but is got off, with little damage. Four vessels in Sarah's creek, opposite to York, were likewise drove ashore; one a sloop, belonging to Captain Thompson, it is thought will not be got off. A schooner belonging to the Eastern Shore, Hancock Jacobs master, loaded with rum, is ashore on Colonel Digges's marsh. A sloop belonging to Mr. George Booth, with two hogsheads of tobacco on board, drove to Colonel Digges's plantation, and stove to pieces. The top of the wharf was carried away, and drove against Mr. Jones's store, which saved that from being swept off likewise. All the boats and country craft are ashore; one of them, a schooner, ran her boltsprit into a storehouse of Mr. Savage's. Several chimneys, &c. in the town were blown down, and the windmill at Gloucester town. A man bringing his family down the river, put them ashore at Mr. Fox's; but going on board his vessel again, to make her safe in a creek, upon setting sail she overset, and he was drowned.

A vessel from Norfolk, laden with coal, for this city, was drove up to Jamestown, and stove to pieces. A schooner of Major Travis's, lying before his house, was drove from her anchors, and went ashore on the other side. All the vessels up James river, as far as we have heard, are ashore likewise.

The Norfolk packet was lying before Colonel Burwell's ferry when the storm happened. Her skipper, when he found he could no longer stand it, slipped his cable, and was drove by the northeast wind several miles up the river; but on the wind chopping about to the northwest, he ran down to Norfolk in three hours, under his bare poles. The new packet, on her way up, was drove ashore on Sewell's point.

The James river postboy, in his way down, crossing a swamp, was washed off his horse by the rapidity of the current, but got hold of a tree; and a man hearing him call for help, swam into his assistance, but could not get him out. He therefore went and brought more people, swam in again, and tied a cord round him, upon which he was drawn out.

The bodies of three Negroes are come ashore a little below Lyon's creek, with an oar marked J. Goodrich, and a large open skiff is drifted ashore near the mouth of the said creek.

Arrived in James river, from Glasgow, the Thomas, Robertson, Argyle, Baine, Homer, Hastie, Elizabeth, Leitch, and Elizabeth, Carr: also the Peggy, Campbell, from Liverpool. By these vessels we have advice of the arrival of the Thierry, Taylor, Bowman, Stevenson (in 26 days) and the George, Coats; also of the death of his Grace the Duke of Hamilton.

A vessel from Madeira, belonging to Philadelphia, is put into Hampton road, with the loss of two of her masts, by the late storm; and the Dolphin, belonging to Glasgow, bound for Delaware, with salt, in distress.

Capt. Robertson, who was a considerable way without soundings the day of the storm, did not feel the least of it, being rather becalmed.

Capt. Philpson, in a schooner from New York, is just arrived. He left that place last Sunday morning, and says they had the gale there, but not so bad, none of the shipping having suffered, but much damage done in the country.

A man from Edenton, in North Carolina, says that he thinks they had it rather worse there than in Virginia, by the appearance of the roads as he came along. All the wharfs in that town are demolished, many small craft drove ashore, and several houses thrown down.

His Majesty's ship Launceston, Captain Gill, is sailed for England, from Halifax.