Early Weather Events

Civil War Weather, War of 1812 Weather, and Revolutionary War Weather

This page is an excerpt from the book Washington Weather



Washington Crossing the Delaware in 1776





George Washington and his Continental Army crossed the ice-clogged Delaware River on Christmas night of 1776 in a snowstorm. Washington and his army were en route to Trenton, New Jersey to attack Hessian forces. Leutze’s painting of the crossing does not accurately portray the poor visibility caused by the blowing snow and sleet. One foot of snow and sleet fell in Trenton, New Jersey, and two feet of snow fell from Northern Virginia to Central Maryland.

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The Tornado and the Burning of Washington in 1814





The British army invaded Washington and set fire to the city on August 24, 1814. A day later, a line of severe thunderstorms spawned a tornado in Washington that killed several British soldiers and caused significant damage to the city. Heavy rain associated with the storm helped extinguish the fires that burned throughout Washington.

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The Thunderstorm and the Battle of Ox Hill





In the rain, the Union Army retreats to Washington the day after the second Battle of Bull Run, August 31, 1862. On the next day, the Battle of Ox Hill occurred near Fairfax, Virginia, during a period of intense thunderstorms. The fighting raged for several hours in heavy rain and strong winds, ending in a stalemate. After the battle, the Union Army continued its retreat to Washington and the Confederate Army marched north, setting the stage for the Battle of Antietam.

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The Mud March





The Army of the Potomac on their infamous “Mud March” during the Nor’easter of January 21, 1863. The Union Army became hopelessly bogged down in mud and aborted their march. Several days of heavy rain made the dirt roads impassible for the army’s heavy supply wagons and artillery. Strong winds and temperatures in the 30’s added to the miserable conditions for the soldiers.

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The Great Snowball Battle of Rappahannock Academy





Over ten thousand Confederate soldiers engaged in a spirited snowball battle near Fredericksburg, Virginia on February 25, 1863. Twelve inches of snow cover combined with mild temperatures provided ideal conditions for the massive snowball fight. Combatants employed real battle tactics in the snowball fight, including forming battle lines, charging, skirmishing, use of cavalry, and capturing prisoners.

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1) Summary and Explanation of Colonial Weather

2) John Smith's Accounts of Virginia's Weather, 1607

3) The Native American's Five Seasons, 1608

4) John Clayton describes Virginia's Weather, 1685

5) Benjamin Franklin Documents Coastal Storm Tracks, 1747

6) Thomas Jefferson on Virginia's Climate, 1781

7) Early Themometers

8) The Little Ice Age

9) Global warming in the late 1700's?

10) The Storm of 1586 that Ended Raleigh's First Colony

11) Jamestown's First Summer of 1607

12) Jamestown's Great Frost and Starving Time Winters, 1607-1610

13) The "Dreadful Hurricane" of 1667

14) "The Great Fresh" of 1771

15) The Washington and Jefferson Snowstorm of 1772

16) The Christmas Snowstorm of 1776

17) The Cold Wave of 1780 that froze the Chesapeake Bay

18) Snowbound in 1784

19) A Look Back at 1797

20) The Tornado and the Burning of Washington, August 25, 1814

21) "The Year without a Summer" in 1816

22) The Great Snowstorm of January 1857

23) The Thunderstorm and the Battle of Ox Hill (Chantilly), September 1, 1862

24) The "Mud March" Nor'easter, January 20-23, 1863

25) The Great Snowball Battle of Rappahannock Academy, February 25, 1863



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