The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

NORTH-HAVEN, July 29.

Yesterday about half an hour after one o'clock there arose out of the southwest a very thick and heavy cloud, from which terrible flashes of lightning with heavy thunder issued with unusual frequency; especially about 40 minutes after one there were three terrible streams of lightning, with heavy thunder, almost one upon the back of the other; the last, which was by far the most awful, was a stream from the northwest to the southeast, which passed the vane of the meeting-house, (perhaps at about 20 or 30 feet distance, yet so near as to drive it round the spindle several times with great velocity) and pitched into a tree a few feet from the ground, at about 24 rods distance. Just by this tree stood a sabbath day-house the nearest corner of which was not more than five feet from the tree.----This house belonged to Capt. Joseph Pierpont, who with a number of their brethren and their children were present. Five persons who all sat upon one bench in the house, viz. Mrs. Lydia, the wife of Capt. Pierpont, Mr. Abel Procket, and his wife, Mr. Giles Pierpont, and his wife, were all struck with the lightning. Mr. Procket had several small holes burnt in his shirt, about his loins, and was considerably burnt himself, tho' less hurt than any of the others. Mr. Pierpont was struck on one side, the lightning ran down upon the under side of this thigh, and leg, sing'd off the hair, and burnt the flesh so that it appeared as red as tho' it had been scalded. * The women were all much more hurt than the men. They were all raised up from their seats by the force of the lightning, and then fell altogether upon the seat except Mr. Pierpont, who was fixed to his seat, and could not move without help. They were in great distress for breath, and their blood seemed to be stagnated to a very great degree; and it appeared by bleeding, that there was a very considerable separation between the serous and globules parts of the blood. They shewed signs of great distress at first, complained as soon as capable of manifesting their distress, that they felt as if they were in the fire. The most of them are now comfortable, & it is hoped that they will all soon recover. Mr. Giles Pierpont had two children with him, either in the arms of their parents, or in the arms of some of their friends on the same seat who received no sensible harm. The house was full of people, but none but those mentioned, who all sat on one seat, received any hurt. Round the tree struck with lightning there were three horses and colt, which were all killed instantly upon the spot. There were no signs that the lightning ever so much as touched any part of the sabbath day house, although the people in it were so much hurt. The women were so burned that blisters arose upon their flesh, which were of a bright vivid colour, like the flesh of Mr. Pierpont, as above related.