May 5, 1868 Talladega County Tornado

Originally published May 13, 1868 in the Talladega Watchtower. Republished in the Los Angeles Star June 20, 1868, pg. 4:

Terrible Cyclone in Alabama.

On last Wednesday night, about half-past eleven o’clock, one of the most severe and destructive tornadoes that ever visited any country, passed about three miles north of Talladega.

It is impossible to convey a correct knowledge of this terrible storm. Its destructive effects must be seen to be understood. No one can look upon the scene without exclaiming in his heart, “Behold the goodness and the severity of God!” The special Providence of God is signally displayed in the wonderful preservation of human life, while his severity is manifested in the awfully sublime effects of the storm, as it swept down almost every tree, house, fence, and gathered in its powerful grasp mules, cows, goats, poultry, pigs, and the birds, and leaving them lying dead all along its desolated pathway. Even the great oaks of the forest, unable longer to withstand the storm, snapped “as a brittle reed in a strong man’s hands;” while the earth itself trembled under the weight of the mighty and dreadful influence. 

It is said by those who witnessed the scene that a tremendous and brilliant volume of electricity went whirling along on the ground, which emitted incessant and vivid flashes of lightning, and was instantaneously followed by a very dark cloud, producing a terrible roaring, resembling the passage of a number of trains on the track of a railroad. The earth is swept of trash, and looks as if a heavy flood of water had passed over it, while the grass and green leaves left in the track look like they had been scorched by fire. Its velocity was very great, not less than one hundred miles an hour, and in its flight did its work effectually and in a moment, and was immediately succeeded by a dead calm. Very little rain accompanied the wind. Its breadth was about a quarter of a mile. 

While the storm which we have attempted to describe above was running its rapid and destructive course, another, not quite so violent, passed over Major Raynold’s plantation, and blew down all his out-houses, except the gin-house, destroyed fruit trees, shade trees, etc. His loss is said to be heavy. Its course was cast southeast, and crossed the Chandler Springs road at the ten-mile post. Its breadth was about two hundred yards.