Surviving Winter in the 1800s

[Pvt.Shattuck]

http://www.weather.com/special/extr...in-the-1800s-43678?collid=/sports-rec/extreme

 

[Stony]

Just imagine camping in this weather,in the civil war.

 

[donna]

I just can't imagine in this zero and sub zero weather we are having.

But I have to remember how it was for the World War II soldiers in Europe. My Dad had a friend who was in Europe and it was so cold his feet froze. He said they had terrible shoes and they were always getting wet. So I guess cold weather been trouble for soldiers throughout all the years.

 

[4th-MSM]

The video reminded me of the PBS House series, where they take several families and put them in recreations of certain time periods. I enjoyed the series I've watched so far, especially the Frontier House series from 2002, but some of the families reactions to the day to day chores had me shaking my head. It's a shame a lot of the skills are being lost.

Frontier House series:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/frontierhouse/project/

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL872C99D9FA0E253E

 

[Custers Luck]

good post, I dont know how they did it, I cant take wa. weather, and its always a wonder too, that so much furniture and stuff survive.

 

[Littlestown]

Just imagine camping in this weather,in the civil war.

That's what I always think about. As bad as we think the weather is, just imagine being outside with very few clothes, maybe one blanket if you were lucky, and most likely, nothing to eat! You're sleeping on the ground - maybe a bed of pine boughs if you're fortunate, but, its below zero, with a wind chill of 30 below! How horrible would that be? Guess the only way they survived was to be able to build camp fires and huddle around them.

 

[Littlestown]

From a Robert Cruikshank letter to wife Mary (January 1863 - Prince William Co.,VA)
"The weather was severely cold and fuel was scarce as the fencing was guarded as also was a large stack of straw that the men would like to get to put into their tents to raise them out of the mud so that they could have a dry place to lie. The people have claimed to be Union people and all of their property was guarded. Lieutenant Geo. W. Baker thought the men ought to have a fire and the straw and knew if some one would make a break through the guard and get some that the rest of the men would follow. So he went to where the men were gathered at the fence of the stack of straw and looked at it with the others, and when he saw the guard was not looking at him he sprang, caught a rail, dodged a bayonet thrust and disappeared. It was enough. The guard could not keep back a thousand men that wanted the wood and straw and in less time than it takes me to write it they were gone. That night they had a good straw bed and wood to cook coffee over."

 

[Littlestown]

Winter huts were built by the armies out of the surrounding materials including: trees, mud, leaves, and soldiers' canvases. These huts usually included a chimney, which kept the small space warm, but some were more effectively built than others. http://www.civilwar.org

Sketch of various winter cabins or huts. (Library of Congress)

 

[Littlestown]

"We then rake up dry leaves and fill the dog house about ten inches deep with the leaves, which makes us a good warm bed."
- Private John W. Stevens, 5th Texas Infantry

 

[Littlestown]

"Thursday Dec. 17th – Last night was very stormy – this morning no better. Our house leaks all over, and our chimney works badly, which make things rather uncomfortable."
– Lieutenant Charles Stewart 124th New York Volunteers

 

[Pvt.Shattuck]

I just can't imagine in this zero and sub zero weather we are having.

But I have to remember how it was for the World War II soldiers in Europe. My Dad had a friend who was in Europe and it was so cold his feet froze. He said they had terrible shoes and they were always getting wet. So I guess cold weather been trouble for soldiers throughout all the years.

My Dad was a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge. He told me many more men were being lost in the front lines from trench foot than the enemy so the Army really cracked down on the GIs. Foot inspections, punishment for failure to remove boots periodically and massage feet, rotate dry socks. Living in frozen fox holes for weeks and months, Dad always kept a spare pair in his blouse. When we were kids he was obsessive about foot care, making sure my brother and I dried between our toes after bathing or swimming. It must have been as a result of what he endured during the war.
Old Willis my avatar experienced Burnside's "Mud March" in which men died of exposure. I'm sure that was no picnic either.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

The words Winter Quarters speak volumes,

 

[bensearch]

This excerpt from Red, White and Blue Badge, History of the 93rd Pa Regiment-Penrose G Mark

...On the 5th {December} snow fell to the depth of three inches-making picket duty by no means pleasant. The cold also was extremely painful in many ways, interfering with sleep and rendering " Othello's occupation" an unenviable one indeed.