Always an interesting topic
July 11, 2012 (Wednesday)
The History Channel recently ran again the series of programs about the American Revolution. The series is also available on Netflix. Seeing the programs prompted me to get out the history books and do some reading about that period of our nation’s history.
One of the famous battles of the war was fought at Monmouth, New Jersey on Sunday, June 28, 1778. The Americans numbered 11,000 and the British 10,000. Several hundred on both sides died that day. One hundred soldiers died that day from heat exhaustion! People said the temperature reached 100 degrees.
Recently much of the country experienced such heat at aproximately the same time of year.
Some of the worst winters on record were experienced during the revolutionary war. We conclude from the Monmouth experience that some of the hottest weather of our history also took place.
The weather always gives us something to think about and talk about.
When the warnings about the heat include special instructions for the “elderly,” I have to remind myself that they are talking about me. When they tell you to “check on the elderly,” and you decide to check on me, please call me during the commercial breaks. I’ll be watching the weather channel.
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News item: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the period from January through June was “the warmest first half of any year on record for the contiguous United States.”