The New Hampshire Gazette

We have Advice from Charleston in South Carolina, that on the 4th of last month, at half after two, P.M. a most violent Whirlwind, of that kind commonly known by the name of Typhoons, passed down Ashley River and fell upon the shipping in Rebellion Road with such fury and violence as to threaten the destruction of the whole fleet.

This terrible phenomenon was first seen from the town coming down Wappoo Creek, resembling a column of smoke and vapour, whose motion was very irregular and tumultuous and came with great swiftness. The quantity of vapour which composed this impetuous column, and its prodigious velocity, gave such a surprising momentum as to plough Ashley River to the bottom and lay the Channel bare; this occasioned such a sudden flux and reflux as to float many boats, pettiaugers, and even sloops and schooners which were before lying dry at a distance from the tide.

When it was coming down Ashley River it made a noise like constant thunder; its diameter at that time was judged to be about 300 fathoms, and its height to be 35 degrees; it was met at White Point by another gust which came down Cooper's River, but was not equal to the other; but upon this meeting together the tumultuous agitation of the air was much greater, insomuch that the froth and vapour seemed to be thrown up to the height of 40 degrees, while the clouds that were driving in all directions to this place seemed to be precipitated and whirled round at the same time with incredible velocity.

Just after this it fell upon the shipping in the road, and was scarce three minutes in its passage tho' the distance was near two leagues; there was 45 sail in the road, five of which were sunk outright, and his Majesty's ship Dolphin with 11 others lost their masts, &c. The damage to the shipping, which is reckoned at 20,000 sterling was done almost instantaneously; and some of those that were sunk were buried in the water so suddenly as scarce to give time to those that were below to get upon deck; and 'tis remarkable that but 4 lives were lost in the road.

The strong gust which came down Cooper's river checked the progress of that pillar of destruction from Wappoo creek, which had it kept its then direction must have driven the town of Charlestown before it like chaff. This tremendous column was first seen about noon, upwards of 30 miles W. b S. from Charlestown, and has destroyed in its course several houses, Negro huts, &c. on the plantations, and many both white people and negroes were killed or hurt, besides many cattle have also been found dead in the fields.

In several parts of its course it left an avenue of great width, from which every tree and shrub was tore up; great quantities of branches and limbs of trees were seen furiously driven about and agitated in the body of the column as it passed along. The fleet lying in the road ready to sail for Europe, was the largest and richest that ever cleared out from Charlestown.

By 4 o'clock the wind was quite fallen, the sky clear and serene, so that 'twas scarce credible such a dreadful scene had been so recently exhibited, were not the sinking and dismantled vessels of many striking and melancholy proofs of it. The sinking of the 5 ships in the road was so sudden, that it was queried, whether it was done by the immense weight of this column pressing them instantaneously into the deep? or whether it was done by the water being forced suddenly from under them, and thereby letting them sink so low as to be immediately covered and ingulphed by the returning mass of water?

Most of the disabled ships were towed up to town the next day, and Capt. Stott of the Scarborough is appointed to convoy those that are able to put to sea in the room of the Dolphin, disabled, and will be ready to sail by the 15th of May.