The Amazing Winter of 1779-1780; from the Diary of Dr. Samuel Adams of West Point

Many stories are told of the winter of 1779-1780.  It was exceedingly cold with snow storm after snow storm.

Despite the many writings of the hardships at Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778, this winter was much worse.  It also appears that the army was no better hutted or clothed in 1779 vs 1777.

Dr. Samuel Adams, a surgeon for the 3rd Regiment of Artillery, was based at West Point this winter.  This was the third winter for units of the army at West Point. The first troops stationed there had built the first barracks very late in the winter of 1777-1778.  By 1779 there were plenty of fortifications, but from the diary of Dr Adams, not adequate for the winter of 1779.

Here is the winter in his words.  I have omitted items not dealing with the weather.

Oct 10, 1779 "set off for West Point" [He had been on furlough in Boston area.]
Oct 18, 1779 [On his journey he dined at Fishkill and by the evening he was at West Point.] "artillery exceeding healthy."  [This is a common entry]

Nov 12, 1779 "snowed a little."
Nov 17, 1779 "snowed last night and this morning"  "the ground was covered more than an inch"
Nov 26, 1779 "a severe snow storm p.m.  snow fell over 11 inches deep"

Dec 2, 1779 "snowed a.m.  fell 4 or 5 inches"
Dec 5, 1779 "a cold snow storm p.m. fell 2 inches or more deep"
Dec 15, 1779 "fair exceedingly cold!"
Dec 16, 1779 "snowed a little morning"
Dec 18, 1779 "a most violent cold snow storm  18 inches fell.  continued our works on our room."
Dec 19, 1779 "some snow fell.  very cold"
[it continued very cold until the 28th, but no mention of snow.]
Dec 28, 1779 "a severe snow storm, fell a great quantity"
Dec 29, 1779 "pleasant"
Dec 30, 1779 "some snow"

Jan 1, 1780 "fair exceeding cold"
Jan 2, 1780 "a very severe snow storm p.m. and night"
Jan 3, 1780 "storm continued very severe indeed. Very disagreeable time for the garrison.  Many of the troops yet in tents and very badly of it for wood - we had none in our room, obliged to keep our beds part of the day for want of fire and the rest take shelter among some of our more fortunate neighbors who had wood."
Jan 4, 1780 "continued very windy and extreme cold. - many of those men in tents were quite buried in snow and not dug out till this day - some tents blowed quite away on Sunday night [Jan 2], the inhabitants of which lay buried in snow till morning - come hither ye money catchers at home and view the scene see the hardship and publick virtue of an American Soldier - and then can you grudge to make them a compensation for their services?  If you can you may justly be called sordid Devils and not men ---we were still without wood in our room 'till evening"
Jan 5, 1780 "fair but extreme cold - The River mostly shut up, men crossed on the Ice both yesterday and this day - wrote to Mrs. A -- No. 10 --got wood - Oh! the pleasures of a good fire ---
Jan 6, 1780 "Cloudy some snow fell and extremely cold indeed!!! [the three exclamation marks are his] --sent two of Capt Donnelly men to Hospital with the venereal disease -- attended Lodge at even" [Masonic Lodge]
Jan 7, 1780 "Cloudy some squalls of snow, remarkably cold!!!thought to be as severe weather as any that has been felt these many years ---dressed frost bitten foot of one of Capt Moodie's men [In Col Lamb's artillery] --exceeding bad - take the first inst - being drunk.  [not sure if I transcribed that correctly.  It appears the soldier did not realize the damage being done to his feet as he was enjoying the rum ration too much.]
Jan 17, 1780  "severe snow squall"
Jan 24, 1780  [On this day he walked across the ice to Fishkill and lodged at Capt Weeks]
Jan 27, 1780  [He walked across the frozen river from Fishkill Landing to Murderer's Creek.  He had lodged here in previous years and had fond friends, especially at Horton's Tavern.  He rode on a sleigh from Murderer's Creek to West Point on the frozen river.]
Jan 30, 1780 [Snow that fell on the 2nd and 3rd of January is still on the southern sides of the roofs of buildings at West Point.  January was that cold.]

Feb 8, 1780 [On this day, Dr Adams celebrated his 35th birthday.]  "a sever snow storm.  snow fell a foot or more."

Image of Diary of Dr. Samuel Adams from the 3rd day of one of the worst snow storms in NY history.  January 4, 1780

The Campbells were living 10 miles to the north of West Point.  We have no record of what they experienced.  Did they have livestock or poultry that did not survive the storm?  Did they have adequate wood?  Did they take advantage of the frozen river to transport their harvest?

Reference:  Adams, Samuel Dr., Diary of Doctor Samuel Adams, Unpublished Papers of Dr. Samuel Adams on microfilm in the Manuscript Room at the NY Public Library, ZL-307, 3 Reels.