Well, I found this tonight while looking up something else and thought as we enter winter it would be a good little bit of information to consider. The early winter of 1857, Virginia experienced an extreme deep freeze. Rivers froze, snow piled up and quite frankly it was a winter disaster (not wonderland).
Edmund Ruffin noted in his diary the following:
"Jan. 18, 1857--....We could scarcely keep warm sitting by the fire. Temp at 7 (degree sign) at 9 A.M. and 3 (degree sign) 4 P.M."
"Jan. 19th--....I passed a wretched night, with cold feet. Yet I went to bed comfortable, with a good fire burning until burnt out--& with as much covering as could do any good--6 blankets, & 2 more over my feet, which were pulled up when needed, & also a doubled cloak over all, on my knees & feet. Woolen night socks , & over them a woolen wrapper, both well warmed, covered my feet, & yet before the fire had burnt out, I was awakened by cold feet, they continued to grow colder until I had fire & arose in the morning."
Ruffin's diary has been edited by William Scarbourough and was published in three volumes. I found this online through JSTOR.
Edmund Ruffin noted in his diary the following:
"Jan. 18, 1857--....We could scarcely keep warm sitting by the fire. Temp at 7 (degree sign) at 9 A.M. and 3 (degree sign) 4 P.M."
"Jan. 19th--....I passed a wretched night, with cold feet. Yet I went to bed comfortable, with a good fire burning until burnt out--& with as much covering as could do any good--6 blankets, & 2 more over my feet, which were pulled up when needed, & also a doubled cloak over all, on my knees & feet. Woolen night socks , & over them a woolen wrapper, both well warmed, covered my feet, & yet before the fire had burnt out, I was awakened by cold feet, they continued to grow colder until I had fire & arose in the morning."
Ruffin's diary has been edited by William Scarbourough and was published in three volumes. I found this online through JSTOR.
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