The shocks were attended by loud explosions, great fissures--generally traveling from northeast to southwest, and sometimes more than half a mile in length--were opened in the earth, and from these openings mud and water were thrown often to the tops of the highest trees.

Islands in the Mississippi were sunk, the current of the river was driven back by the rising of its bed, and overflowed the adjacent lands. More than half of New Madrid county was permanently submerged. The inhabitants noticed that these earth movements were sometimes vertical and sometimes horizontal, the former being by far the most serious in their effects. These disturbances ceased March 26, 1812, simultaneously with the great earthquake which destroyed the city of Caracas, South America.