Battling The Elements - Weather Affecting Campaigns ?

[logan]

I purchased a book on the subject of the role weather played part in conflicts, mostly it seems covering various campaigns, not it appears the time of LBH or the Indian wars in general, but wars in other countries, different eras.

I know winter affected what manoeuvres could be undertaken during the Indian wars, as well as drought and times of heavy rain causing floodwater and swollen rivers, preventing the crossing of occasionally.

Are there instances where weather conditions was a factor in decision-making, that either meant abandoning a mission, or dictated the routes to be taken, etc ?

[noggy]

Apr 25, 2023 7:11:09 GMT -6 logan said:

I purchased a book on the subject of the role weather played part in conflicts, mostly it seems covering various campaigns, not it appears the time of LBH or the Indian wars in general, but wars in other countries, different eras.

I know winter affected what manoeuvres could be undertaken during the Indian wars, as well as drought and times of heavy rain causing floodwater and swollen rivers, preventing the crossing of occasionally.

Are there instances where weather conditions was a factor in decision-making, that either meant abandoning a mission, or dictated the routes to be taken, etc ?

I assume you here think of the Indian wars specifically, and not wars in general, because that is a gigantic field and basically affected warfare all over the world.
Like you said, snow/cold and floods etc are obvious things and universal. The 1876 Campaign has examples.

Many Native American tribes (all?) believed in omens and signs from beyond. Sudden changes in weather might be seen a some sort of sign from "beyond". There a stories about these things being discussed, and they could lead to a raid or attack being aborted.

You have also more seasonal things, like many of the tribes in the East who farmed. And the famous "Comanche Moon", as far as I remember, occurred during full moons in the Autumn.  There is a claim that "Indian Summer" comes from Indian war parties who used to stop raiding when Autumn broke.


Noggy

[Yan Taylor]

The book "March of the Montana Column" does mention in detail things like the weather, as it is a daily journal kept by an army officer.

Ian