1784 – Sep 10~, hurricane/storm surge, Charleston/coastal islands, esp. Sullivan’s Isl., SC–>10

–500 Jordan, Dukes, Jr., Rosengarten. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. p. 20.
–>10 Blanchard estimate.*

*We have only been able to locate two sources. Jordan notes 500 deaths and Mills describes the event noting “The effects of this hurricane were dreadful through all the low country,” though without providing an estimate of fatalities. His description is such, however, that we are persuaded that there was loss of life. We are not prepared though to accept and repeat such a large number as 500 which Jordan shows without greater detail. Thus, not knowing how many people died, but willing to accept that it appears that it was more than a small number, we decide to assume that at least ten people died, so as to recognize this hurricane in our compilation.

Narrative Information

Jordan, Dukes and Rosengarten: “1784 Sept. 10 (?) (2) A major storm, attended by torrents of rain; struck west of Charleston; storm surge covered coastal islands; Sullivan’s Island most affected; 500 deaths.” (p. 20)

Mills: “Remarkable Atmospherical Phenomena and Other Events.
“Under this head may be noticed the hurricanes, with which Charleston, in common with other districts, has been visited….

“In September 1784, after an interval of fifty-two years [1752 hurricane], another hurricane took place. This proceeded from a junction of two simultaneous gales of wind on the coast. The one commenced at the Carrribee islands, and proceeded northwestwardly along the coast of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The other commenced at northeast, and proceeded southwestwardly. These two gales after having done much mischief, met, and forming a junction in the latitude of Charleston or Beaufort, effected still greater devastation. There conflict was attended with torrents of rain; in retarded the gulf stream, and of course accumulated so much water on the coast as to inundate a great part of the low lands of South Carolina and Georgia. For several days, before the storm commenced, an uncommon roaring of the sea was distinctly heard, especially by the residents on Sullivan’s island. The tides were remarkable for high floods, and the ebbs less low than usual. The effects of this hurricane were dreadful through all the low country. The amount of property destroyed was immense. The situation of those on Sullivan’s island was distressing beyond description. It was the opinion of several, who witnessed the scene, that in case the tide had continued to rise for half an hour longer every house on the island must have fallen.” (Mills, Robert. Statistics of South Carolina, including A View of its Natural, Civil, and Military History, General and Particular. 1826, pp. 444-446.)

Sources

Jordan, Laylon Wayne, with Robert Dukes, Jr., and Ted Rosengarten. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. Charleston, SC: The South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, undated. Accessed 8-15-2022 at: https://www.scseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/South-Carolina-Hurricane-History-1980.pdf

Mills, Robert. Statistics of South Carolina, including A View of its Natural, Civil, and Military History, General and Particular. Charleston, SC: Hurlbut and Lloyd, 1826. Accessed 8-16-2022 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=XGQvAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false