In 1798, President John Adams signed into law the Act for the Relief of Sick and Disabled Seamen, which helped fund medical care and build additional hospitals for seamen. A year later, Congress extended the Act to cover every officer and sailor in the U.S. Navy. The Act led to the gradual creation of a loose network of locally controlled marine hospitals along coastal and inland waterways. Fort Wolcott was the primary fort protecting Newport, Rhode Island from 1703 until 1836. At various times it served the Rhode Island colonial militia, the British Army, the French Army, and the United States Army. Fort Wolcott was Newport's primary means of defense against sea attack until the new Fort Adams was garrisoned in 1841.
This collection consists of a detailed daily recording of the weather, wind direction, and temperature maintained by the United States Army Hospital at Fort Wolcott on Goat Island in the Newport Harbor. Entries from January 1833 to December 1834 are recorded as "weather at Newport, R.I.," and January to August 1835 entries are recorded as "weather at Fort Wolcott, R.I." These records also include remarks and monthly summaries of the weather and illnesses, such as scarlet fever and influenza.
This collection is owned by the Redwood Library and Athenaeum. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Special Collections Librarian of the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
Access is open to members and researchers at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
United States Army hospital meteorological diary, RLC.Ms.592, Redwood Library and Athenaeum.
This collection is arranged in chronological order.
Acquisition information is unknown.
Prior to processing in 2014, this collection was classified as: mIC465N//U.