Weather Conditions

[tenfed1861]

Folks,
Last night,I was reading Diary of a Confederate Soldier:John S. Jackman of the Orphan Brigade.In it,he mentions some pretty interesting info on the weather at Chickamauga:
Sept. 19:"We built a large fire,yet not having any blankets with me,I did not sleep any.The night was very cold and my large overcoat came in good place."
Sept. 20:"Daylight came and a heavy frost was on the ground"
Sept. 23 (On Missionary Ridge):"Johnnie G.(reen) and I having pulled up a pile dry grass upon which we lay,covered alone by our overcoats,and slept well."
Even though he was little more then a regimental clerk,Jackman talks of having an overcoat with him.Even though it will be too warm,I just thought it was something interesting.
Cullen Smith

[Coon Dawg]

Funny that you brought this up... While reading up on the battle this week, I came across several examples of the cold weather.

Here are a couple for y'all.

On Sept 19 after Cleburne's night attack while men from both sides lay dying, "the temperature dropped below freezing and all night long men screamed out in pain, moaning in the cold some calling out to their friends by name begging them to come out in the field and help them."

Also at Bragg's headquarters on Sept 19 after receiving his orders, John Bell Hood "ate a late super, and slept that night on a pile of leaves, shivering in the frigid air."

Joel Phillips
The Flatlanders Mess (http://flatlandersmess.googlepages.com/home)

[H. L. Hanger]

A quick glance at the two week forecast calls for a Friday (21st) high of 80 degress with rain and aFriday night low of 64......again with rain. Seems as if a gum blanket will be in order!

J

[LWhite64]

At the time it wasnt unusual for the first frost of the year to occur in mid September. Also it had not rained in nearly two months when the battle occured.

Lee

[Suppelsa]

Jackman carried an overcoat throughout the war.

[BrianHicks]

When was Nate's Chicamauga LH? '04? It got pretty chilly that week end. At last years small LH hosted by... who was it? Zimmerman? It was almost Vicksburg hot. (yeah.. I know... after Duffer's knee blew out, he and I made an early exit in order to get him off the injured leg).

If the Temps are in the 64 to 80 range, that will be rather pleasant.

Let's keep our fingers crossed for cooler temps ,and not too terribly much rain.

[coastaltrash]

Conley put together that little living history last year. When I went to Chickamauga in 2003 with the battalion it got pretty chilly on Friday and Saturday night. I'm just looking forward to seeing everyone,

[BrianHicks]

Conley... that's right! Sorry for the lapse in memory.

[Joe Walker]

When we filmed the VC movie years ago, remnants of a hurricane blew through.

Joe Walker

[Coatsy]

Yeah it was Jim Conley's big advernture through the park last year.

And here is another thing for all to chew on. Georgia has been very dry this year.

[Milliron]

When was Nate's Chicamauga LH? '04? It got pretty chilly that week end.

We are still talking about that event. The one where it went down into the '50's on Saturday night . . . in Georgia . . . in August. John Walsh about suffered hypothermia because he was sleeping on his jacket and refused to believe it really was that cold. That was where we Ohioans knew we weren't in, well, Ohio anymore. Not only do they have strange fauna in GA, even the weather is strange. The people I won't even get into . . . :D

[Brent Brumagin]

The weather can be very harsh. One account of the battle a soldier had said the ground was covered with white frost, so heavy it looked as if snow had fallen....

It can get quite cool in North GA in the fall. Please take that into account.

Brent Brumagin

[Silas]

It can get quite cool in North GA in the fall. Please take that into account.

Back to the age old questions of how much is too much, and how much is too little? My "go light" choices get down to these :

1) vest or extra shirt ;
2) blanket roll or knapsack ;
3) blanket with gum or canvas ; and
4) blanket without gum or canvas.

Will likely leave the knapsack at home. Am hoping to go my lightest which would be choices 1 and 4 : extra shirt and blanket only.

[Mtn.Guerilla]

The weather is awesome right now, particularly after the baking we've taken over the past 3-4 weeks. Looks to be pretty nice so far. Although the battlefield can be a pretty chilly place in the middle of the night.

[dave81276]

Looks like it will only get down to 62 degrees Friday and Saturday night, but we'll be wet. The forecast calls for showers all week-end. I'm glad I'm going to be one of those fancy-pants ANV boys clad in kersey.

[H. L. Hanger]

From AccuWeather:

Friday Daytime: Partly Sunny, High 82
Friday Night: Rain, Low 62
Sat. Daytime: Rain, High 80
Sat. Night: Rain, Low 63
Sun. Daytime: Rain, High 82

Another source says mid-80s both days and sunny!

Take your pick....

Silas....might reconsider your options!

J

[Becky Morgan]

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=FFC&llon=-85.367083&rlon=-84.867083&tlat=35.125417&blat=34.627917&smap=1&mp=1&map.x=39&map.y=126

That's the NWS 7-day for the area.

[Milliron]

Let's face it folks, you may as well be using a Magic 8-Ball to determine the weather seven days out at this point. My experience has been they are right about 20% of the time, if that.

I'll check the forecast on Thursday. I will have some idea then. We'll be rigging for weather regardless. We're talking about the South, home of the biggest thunderstorms you ever saw--whatever the weather man says. One of my fondest memories is of being at a WIG LH on the Kelly field a few years back and riding out a meteorological apocalypse under a shelter tent all night long. The GHTI boys may remember it, it was where they built the "shelter condo." What a storm, but mmm, mmm good.

[HighPrvt]

I live 45 minutes away from the battlefield. The most accurate weather report for this area is www.newschannel9.com As has been said, predicting N.W. Ga. weather 7 days out is best done on a crystal ball.


I've done living Histories there on days it's called for 50% chance, or better, and not seen any precipitation. Then again I've been soaked to the bone on days calling for "only a slight chance of scattered showers".

[Silas]

Take your pick....

Silas....might reconsider your options!

I'll take next weekend's Chickamauga weather over Seattle weather, thanks. My local forecast for the same weekend :

Fri
Sep 21 Mostly Sunny
67°/54° 10%

Sat
Sep 22 Partly Cloudy
65°/51° 10%

Sun
Sep 23 Scattered Showers
66°/54° 30%

The high in Seattle is in the same ballpark as the low in Chickamauga. I'm soooooooo looking forward to the warm weather. Fall is just beginning to show itself around here. Temps and the leaves will soon commence their yearly drop. I'll be wearing my wool coat to work within thirty days. Chickamauga is my last glimpse of how summer is supposed to feel.

[tenfed1861]

Even though it will be alittle too late:http://www.weather.com/weather/weekend/USTN0084?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared