Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

Storm at Charleston.

On Friday the 7th of this month, that place was visited with a hurricane, which, for its violence, and the calamitous effects produced by it, is unexampled.

Detailed accounts of this storm have been published in the Herald of Saturday last, as far as those accounts were then warranted by the facts ascertained: We are sorry to say that, by subsequent information, the calamity has been found more extensive than was at imagined; and much do we fear that we are yet to be informed of further and greater mischief. We shall not offer to our readers the particulars, but present them with a summary of the damage and loss sustained, in the harbour of Charleston and on the coast as far as we are informed, confining our accounts to the shipping.--In the port and harbour of Charleston, the following is a statement of the injury, from the Times.--Lost, 1 brig--Sunk, 1 ship, 1 brig and 3 schooners.--Wrecked, 1 schooner.--Dismasted, 1 ship, 1 brig, 2 schooners, and 1 sloop.--Parted from their moorings and driven on shore, 5 ships, 4 brigs, 6 schooners, and 1 sloop, besides a number of other vessels and small craft driven on the wharves, with some damage. The Charleston Courier contains following account of the damage on the coast.

On Monday arrived the brig Augusta, capt. Davidson, owned in Boston, and bound from Savannah to New-York. The Augusta left Savannah 15 days ago, but, from contrary winds, had not gotten farther to the northward than Cape Romain on Saturday last, when she encountered the north east gale which has been so severely felt here. The Augusta stood off to clear the land, which she effected, with the loss of her deck load, consisting of upwards of one hundred bales cotton, and anchored off our north bar on Sunday, and the same evening lost both her cables and anchors.

Monday evening arrived in this port the schooner Patsy, of Norfolk, Mood, master, from Alexandria, bound to St. Mary's, 13 days out. Capt. Mood informs that he encountered a hard gale of wind at E. N. E. on Friday night last, being then in the Gulf to the eastward of this port; it was so violent as to throw him on his beam ends, in which situation he lay several hours; he lost two hands overboard, a white man named William Dabney, and a negro named John Planter.

The same day the Patsy fell in with the schooner Experiment, Miller, of Edenton, from Martha Brae in Jamaica, 37 days out, bound for Wilmington, having on board 40 puncheons of rum, and in great distress--took on board capt. Miller and his crew. Capt. Miller informs, that on Friday night last, being on the inner edge of the Gulf, he encountered a severe gale; that while lying to under the head of his jib, his vessel was thrown on her side; that her masts were unstepped, and tore up the whole of his decks; that in this situation he was so fortunate as to fall in with the Patsy. Before he left his vessel, he saw the head of Bull's Island as the hull of his vessel was light below, he has reason to believe she will drift ashore in that bay.

The English schooner Fame; Capt. Lawson, from Barbados encountered the gale on Friday night, and they too under balanced mainsail until Saturday afternoon 4 o'clock, when a heavy sea threw her on her beam ends and shifted her cargo, in which situation she lay until 6 o'clock, when, having with much difficulty cut away her foremast, the schooner righted--a black man was washed overboard, but fortunately got hold of a rope and saved himself. On Sunday morning saw the hull of a large vessel, supposed to be a ship, with two small poles erected as jury-masts. In the afternoon, standing in, apparently with the loss of her foremast.

The brig Orange, captain Labree, arrived yesterday morning, in 26 days from Philadelphia, bound to Havanna. In the gale she lost her deck load of lumber and eight horses, and is much injured, having her deck torn to pieces. Saw to the southward of the Bar, a large vessel bottom up, and a number of logs of mahogany floating about.

The schooner Four Friends, of Boston, Capt. Smith, sailed from this port for Wilmington, N. C. in ballast, on Tuesday last, returned this morning, with the loss of her foremast, bowsprit, and almost every article of rigging. She encountered the gale in the latitude of Charleston, was thrown on her beam ends, and remained in that situation for a considerable time. A brig, in company with captain S. hove to at the same time on Friday evening; since which he has seen nothing of her--saw a great number of spars, &c. floating about.

Schooner Betsey, Brown, 8 days from Providence, R. I. with northern produce, to Philips and Gardner, encountered the gale between Hatteras and Cape Look-Out; but has received no injury--saw a number of chairs, &c. floating about--picked up a wheelbarrow, marked Benjamin Sweetser.

Captain Messroon, of the brig Fame, from Bordeaux, encountered the gale, but has received no damage. Captain M. states that the coast is lined with bales of Cotton, barrels of Apples and Flour, of Butter, &c. Picked up yesterday a wheelbarrow, marked Benjamin Sweetser.

The schooner Favourite, Capt. Culley, from Baltimore for this port, with a cargo of corn, was upset off Cape Romain, in the late gale, on Saturday evening, about 8 o'clock, and immediately went down. There were on board at the time Capt. Culley, his mate, and three seamen--Mr. and Mrs. Groves, and a Mr. Stewart, passengers, and a negro fellow, said to be the property of Mr. Wescott. Mr. Groves, and a seaman by the name of Wallace, caught hold of a hen coop, the other persons on board it is believed, went down with the vessel. Wallace kept his hold on the hen coop about four hours, when exhausted, he fell off and was drowned. Mr. Groves was then left alone, and remained in this situation until Sunday evening, 6 o'clock, (22 hours) when he was fortunately picked up by capt. Smith, of the Venus, from New-York.

The sloop Ranger, Capt. Moses Andrews, sailed from Charleston for Nassau, (N. P.) on the 2d inst. On the 6th, being in lat. 28, 30, on the outside of the gulph, experienced a storm so severe that it was found necessary to lie to under a balanced mainsail; unable to bear this, was obliged to lie to under bare poles. In the course of the day a boat was carried away from her stern; and between 10 and 11 o'clock P. M. the vessel shipped a sea, which threw her on her beam ends, broke and carried overboard the boom, with two of the hands (who held by the pump) until it gave way; but happily, got in again--swept away the binnacle, tore the boat from her lashings on the main deck, hen coops, water casks, flying jib, and jib-boom--considerably injured the rudder, carried away the larboard shrouds, and shifted the cargo. The vessel lying on her beam ends, half full of water and still making water fast, made it indispensably necessary to cut away and clear the wreck. The sudden overturning of the vessel having put out the lights, rendered the situation of all on board truly dismal, The vessel being almost sunk and a frightful sea dashing over her, presented no prospect but that of momentarily going to the bottom. Flint and steel were of no use with wet tinder, but some powder being at length found, a light was procured. Now able to see the real situation of things, the hands were employed in baling out the cabin with a couple of biscuit kegs (every thing else that could serve this purpose having been washed overboard) while the pump was mending, which occupied several hours. About day-light, the pump being finished, and having begun to work, soon freed the vessel from water, and the persons on board in some degree, from their apprehensions of perishing. On the 8th, the storm having abated, and a fair wind blowing from the S. F. stood for Charleston, under a foresail; and in the course of the next day, rigged a square sail.

Amongst the damages in shipping, by the late gale, we are sorry to say the Danish ship Commerce, capt. Bee which was ready for sea, was driven nearly high and dry on Crafts's Wharf, and is obliged to discharge, not knowing what damage she may have received in her bottom, as she suffered much in her sheathing.