Revolutionary War Hurricanes — Three of the deadliest hurricanes in on record occurred during the American Revolution. They were the Independence Hurricane of 1775 which killed at least 4,000 people in Newfoundland and is Canada’s deadliest natural disaster; the Pointe-a-Pitre Hurricane of 1776 which killed 6,000 in the Carribbean; and The Great Hurricane of 1780 which started on Oct. 9 and is the deadliest hurricane on record. The death toll was more than 22,000, mostly in the Lesser Antilles. Numerous French and British ships participating in the war were sunk and thousands of soldiers being transported on them were killed.
The 1780 hurricane season was by far the worst ever.