As I mentioned in the book, NOAA is undertaking a re-analysis of the historic hurricane data to make the official hurricane record book as accurate as possible.

While the wind speeds I list for the Sea Islands and Chenier Caminada hurricanes are estimates, the official database now shows the Georgia/South Carolina storm to have been a category 3 and the Louisiana storm to have been a category 4. These categories are consistent with the estimated wind speeds listed.

Note that the name of the 19th century village of Chenier Caminada is listed in historic texts as Caminadaville, Chenier Caminada, Cheniere Caminada, or Chenier Caminanda. I went with what seemed to be the most common spelling in the literature.

There is a small village in the area today. Its name is spelled Cheniere Caminada.

Also, 12 years before the devastating Sea Islands storm, a category 2 hurricane came ashore just south of Savannah. The death toll from that storm is estimated to have been 700 making it the fifth deadliest hurricane in the record book.

Due to the nature of the topography of the Georgia and South Carolina coastline (the so-called Low Country), the area is extremely susceptible to storm surge. Fortunately that area has had many fewer storms in the modern times than it saw in the 19th century. There's no guarantee, of course, that will last.

The official estimated death toll of the Sea Islands Hurricane is now 1000-2000 according to the latest NOAA/NWS research, although the number will never be known. This is the fifth highest death toll for a U.S. hurricane.

The updated official estimated death toll of the Chenier Caminada Hurricane is 1100-1400 onshore and 2000 counting offshore fatalities.