Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-08-27
Remarkable Phenomenon in Tennes-
see.
The Nashville Press tells this story:

The Nashville HTeSS tells this story
Tuesday a strange and terrible natu-
raj phenomenon occurred in Cheatham
county, about 10 miles from Nashville,
on the line of the Nashville and North
western Railroad About one o'clock
while the men were engaged on the plan
tation of Joshua Fulgham were going in
to field to pluck 70 ider the sun being
hidden behind clouds at the time. and a
general gloom pervading the sky. they
were much frightened and confused by the
apparent opening of the clouds, judging
from the description of the phenomenon,
not more than FIVE or six degrees north of
the zenith. They judge the cloud to he
about three quarters OF mile high. The
strange sight attracted their attention.
A brilliant whitish red glare overspread
an immense mass OF black clouds. OH the
centre of which appeared funnel like
aperture about four or five feet i'll dame
ter the sides of which presented the ap-
pearance of ragged flames darling like f.
cry tongues, and licking and tapping at e
large white hot object passing WIKI incon-
ceivable rapidity down through the aper-
ture. When it left the mass of clouds it
did not appear to fall in perpendicular
direction. but sloped at an inclination of
some ten or fifteen degrees from plumb
line, and grew more intensely bright as it
approached the earth. It swept down like
bright angel of death and destruction !;
it struck the earth with sound like sud-
den, terrific clap of thunder, and seemed
to make the surrounding hills culver to
their foundations; great numbers of trees
on their rocky sides fell, and continued
falling for several minutes afterwards. max
ing noises like the prolonged reverbera-
tons Of the thunder among the rocky
cliffs
The men were about four hundred
yards from the place where the fiery mis-
sive from the sky struck, aud were afraid
to g. and examine the place for several
hours afterward. They took courage,
however. and. being joined by numbers
Of the people living in the surrounding
aeighborhooi. they proceeded to the place,
and found that it had struck upon fat
ledge of rocks n a wagon way leading
from farmhouse to the public road. The
fragments of stone were thrown around for
several rods in all directions; the ledge,
which is said to be three feet thick, with
out any seams. was disturbed for dis
lance of about fifty feet, split and torn up
in fragments; the soil, which was spread
in thin layers all over it, looked as if pass
ed through sieve At the point where
the strange body came in contact with the
rock there appeared to be no stone at ALL
but very fine. white. houiy sort of paste.
which was quite hot. and steam ascend
ed out Of the hole in which it had buried
itself which was too hot to approach.
Several gentlemen of a philosophical
turn of mind were strongly of the opinion
that it was an aeroiite brought into state
OF fusion by coming doSn through the at
mosphere, but had not been completely
burned before touching the earth.
There was strong odor about the
place. such as may be found in blasting
furnaces. and the passage of the aerolite
was marked by light yellowish sort of
smoke. Very fine PARTICLES of some sort
of oxide continued to fall all over the coun-
try for several hours.
1T is the intention of the people to Or
ganze working party TO quarry out.
what remains of the body. which is un-
doubtedly metal. as soon as the tempera-
ture of the rocks will admit. As vet it
seems to be premature to enter on any
speculation relative to the nature of the
strange phenomenon. Moreover. the sci
entfc men of the city are already interes-
ted in the matter, and no doubt there will
be thorough diagnosis Of the strange
case