The Wintry Summer of 1816

I was going through old family photos to post on Ancestry.com when I came across this article from an old newspaper in 1816 that a realative sent to another realitive. I also did a bit of research as well. So, I thought I'd share it here with you.

1816 was a year without a summer with below freezing temps and more than 1,800 people froze to death, crops were destroyed in Northern Europe and North America. In the spring and summer a persistent dry fog was observed in the northeastern United States. The fog reddened and dimmed the sunlight, such that sunspots were visible to the naked eye. Neither wind nor rainfall dispersed the fog. In May, frost killed off most of the crops that had been planted, and on June 4, frosts were reported in Connecticut, and by the following day, most of New England was gripped by the cold front. On June 6, snow fell in New York, and Maine. Nearly a foot of snow was observed in Quebec in early June, with more additional loss to crops. In July and August, lake and river ice were observed as far south as Pennsylvania. Rapid, dramatic temperature swings were common, with temperatures sometimes reverting to normal summer temperatures as high as 95 degrees to near freezing within hours. Even though farmers south of New England did succeed in bringing some crops to maturity, grain prices rose dramatically. Oats rose to 92¢ and corn to nearly $3. In the British Isles cool temperatures and heavy rains resulted in failed harvests as well. Many families in Wales traveled long distances to beg for food. Famine was prevalent Ireland, following the failure of wheat, oat and potato harvests. The crisis was also severe in Germany, where food prices rose sharply. There were many riots, arson and looting that took place in many European cities. It was the worst famine of the 19th century. In China, the cold weather killed trees, rice crops and even water buffalo. A volcanic eruption that happened in 1815 with the Tambora was believed to have caused the wintry summer, with high levels of ash in the atmosphere that led to unusual sunsets during this time. Many New Englanders were wiped out and tens of thousands struck out for the richer soil and better growing conditions of the Midwest. Europe, still recuperating from the Napoleon Wars, suffered from much food shortage. Food riots broke out in the United Kingdom and France. Many grain warehouses were looted. The violence was also bad in Switzerland, where famine caused the government to declare a national emergency. Huge storms and abnormal rainfall with flooding of the major rivers of Europe are attributed to the event, as was the frost setting in during August 1816. A major epidemic occurred in Ireland between 1816 and 1819, precipitated by the famine. It is estimated that 100,000 Irish people perished during this period. The European fatality total was estimated as more than 200,000 deaths. The eruption of Tambora also caused Hungary to experience brown snow and Italy to experience red snow falling throughout the year. The cause of this is believed to have been volcanic ash in the atmosphere. In China, unusually low temperatures in summer and fall devastated rice production, resulting in widespread famine.

Many painters were also inspired, chosing the unusual sunsets for their work. Such as Painter J.M.W. Turner. The poem "Darkness" was written by Lord Byron who was inspired by this wintry summer of 1816.

I had a dream, which was not all a dream. The bright sun was extinguish'd, and the stars Did wander darkling in the eternal space, Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening in the moonless air; Morn came, and went and came, and brought no day, And men forgot their passions in the dread Of this desolation; and all hearts Were chill'd into a selfish prayer for light: And they did live by watchfires - and the thrones, The palaces of crowned kings, the huts, The habitations of all things which dwell, Were burnt for beacons; cities were consumed, And men were gathered round their blazing homes To look once more into each other's face; Happy were those who dwelt within the eye Of the volcanos, and their mountain-torch: A fearful hope was all the world contain'd; Forest were set on fire but hour by hour They fell and faded and the crackling trunks Extinguish'd with a crash and all was black. The brows of men by the despairing light Wore an unearthly aspect, as by fits The flashes fell upon them; some lay down And hid their eyes and wept; and some did rest Their chins upon their clenched hands, and smiled; And others hurried to and fro, and fed Their funeral piles with fuel, and looked up With mad disquietude on the dull sky, The pall of a past world; and then again With curses cast them down upon the dust, And gnash'd their teeth and howl'd: the wild birds shriek'd, And, terrified, did flutter on the ground, And flap their useless wings; the wildest brutes Came tame and tremolous; and vipers crawl'd And twined themselves among the multitude, Hissing, but stingless, they were slain for food: And War, which for a moment was no more, Did glut himself again; a meal was bought With blood, and each sate sullenly apart Gorging himself in gloom: no love was left; All earth was but one thought and that was death, Immediate and inglorious; and the pang Of famine fed upon all entrails men Died, and their bones were tombless as their flesh; The meagre by the meagre were devoured, Even dogs assail'd their masters, all save one, And he was faithful to a corpse, and kept The birds and beasts and famish'd men at bay, Till hunger clung them, or the dropping dead Lured their lank jaws; himself sought out no food, But with a piteous and perpetual moan And a quick desolate cry, licking the hand Which answered not with a caress, he died. The crowd was famish'd by degrees; but two Of an enormous city did survive, And they were enemies; They met beside The dying embers of an altar-place Where had been heap'd a mass of holy things For an unholy usage; they raked up, And shivering scraped with their cold skeleton hands The feeble ashes, and their feeble breath Blew for a little life, and made a flame Wich was a mockery; then they lifted up Their eyes as it grew lighter, and Each other's aspects. saw, and shriek'd, and died, beheld Even of their mutual hideousness they died, Unknowing who he was upon whose brow Famine had written Fiend. The world was void, The populous and the powerful was a lump, Seasonless, herbless, treeless, manless, lifeless, A lump of death, a chaos of hard clay. The rivers, lakes, and ocean stood still, And nothing stirred within their silent depths; Ships sailorless lay rotting on the sea, And their masts fell down piecemeal; as they dropp'd They slept on the abyss without a surge The waves were dead; the tides were in their grave, The moon their mistress had expired before; The winds were withered in the stagnant air, And the clouds perish'd; Darkness had no need Of aid from them. She was the universe. By Lord Byron

Hope you enjoyed your history lesson ;)

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