Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-11
Mistsllaasoas gsadiag,
BATTLES BRING ON RAIN.
Campaign In Manehuria Furnishes
Renewed Evidence In Support Of

| removed ENIoonco in SoPPoTt W
the Theory. '.
Ever since hostilities in the far
East have reached the stage where
the great guns and heavy ordnance
play a leading part in the game, the
information that the operations Of the
the Russian and Japanese armies have
practically come to standstill owing
the heavy rainfalls" and almost i'm
passable roads In consequence there
of. is making its temperance in the
daily papers at short intervals. AL
most every dispatch from the seat Of
war bearing news Of this character as
cribes this heavy downpour' to the
prevailing "rainy season." and pre-
diets that at its close the campaign
will be continued with renewed vigor.
The war and navy department at
Washington are close observers OF
events at the front, and among other
points which attract their particular
attention Is that Of the weather condi-
tions accompanying the operations OF
the two forces. Official records show
that almost every important action
since gun, cannon and mortar have be-
come factors in warfare, was accom-
panied or followed by thunderstorms
or heavy rainfalls; that, in fact, the
continuous discharge Of firearms and
heavy ordnance was the direct cause
Of this natural phenomenon, and tina
the time or season Of the year had
no, or at least little, bearing In the
matter, since experiments and obser-
vations established the fact that heavy
bombardments have transformed "dry
seasons" into veritable seas Of rain
and mud" .. ....
The battle Of Buena Vista, Mexico.
according to the records Of the war
department, took place on February 22
and %, 1847. This was in the dry sea-
son in that country; there had been no
rain for several months before the
battle and there was none for several
months after. Three sho' r., Low
ever, followed the first days engage
ment, two of which were specially re-
markable. On the 23d, about one or
two hours after the severe cannonad-
ing that took place between 8 and 10
a. m., there was a most violent rainfall
for some 10 or Is minutes. Again In
the afternoon, at about the same in
terval after another period Of heavy
cannonading another violent shower
Of rain fell.
The fact before mentioned, that no
rain had fallen for months before the
battle, and that none fell for months
after at that place, is almost proof
positive not only that the cannonading
caused the rain, but that cannonading
will bring rain at time when the at
mospheric conditions are apparently IN
the highest degree unfavorable to the
production of that phenomenon
through the ordinary operations Of
nature.
The battle of Palo Alto, Mexico, on
May 8, 1846, also fought in the dry
season, was also followed by rain. The
battle or siege of Monterey was fought
September 81 to %, 1s46, which, like
the dates before mentioned, was In the
dry season. The morning Of the 21st
was bright and beautiful, but soon
after the storming Of the two forts
Faderacion and Salado, violent storm
came up" and to its "unbroken pelt-
ings" General Worm and the second
division were exposed throughout the
night.
The battle Of Contreas was fought
on August 10, 1S47, at a season when
rains were very infrequent "Tht
battle ragged furiously, and for more
than three hours the entire force was
under a heavy fire. Night at length
put an end to the conflict, and cold
rain soon afterward began to fall In
torrents" The battle Of Cherubusco
was fought the next day, which was
bright and clear. The day after 1t
rained heavily. The battle Of Molino
del Rey, fought on Sept. 8, 1S47, was
also followed in the afternoon and
evening by hard rain, as was the
battle Of Chepultepec, which was
fought on Sept. 13, 1S47.
In the Civil war the occurrence OF
the phenomenon under discussion was
frequent. The battle Of Big Bethel
may be mentioned as an early In
stance. This battle, fought in Eastern
Virginia on June 10, 1861, was soon
followed by a copious rain. 1ncessant
rains attended General McClellans
Icampaign in Western Virginia in July,
1861. His troops had four separate
engagements on four days, and before
the close Of each violent rains fell"
The battle Of Rich Mountain, fought
on July 10, was one Of these, and was
followed by one or two rainy days.
The following engagements, which
took place in that part Of the country
later in the same year, were also each
followed quickly by rain: Battle OF
Carnifax Ferry, Aug. 10, 1861; battle
Of Cheat Mountain, Sept. 13 and A.
1861; battle of Green Brier, Oct. g.
1861; battle of Allegheny Summit
Dec. IL, 1861. None Of these are class
ed as great battles, but the firing was
apparently sufficient to bring rain.
The first battle Of Rull Run was fought
on July 21, 1861. The day was bright
and clear all through, but the next
day was one Of drenching rain.
AS early in the war as the siege OF
Lexington, Mo-, which ended on Sept.
20, 1861, in the surrender OF Coiohei
Mulligan to the Confederates, the fact
that heavy artillery firing was usually
followed by rain had already been no.
ticed in the west. On the 18th the oe-
Ileaeued garrison was cut off from the