"A furious gale"

Today at Brandy Station, May 2, 1864

The armies are out of their cabins and in tents, toughening up a little before the movement that will begin tomorrow night. Most of the soldiers of the army have no idea of what is in store for them.

As the diaries tell, many face an interesting weather come evening:

--86th New York: "A terrible wind & hail, quite poor weather."
--4th Michigan: "laid in camp all day fine until about 4 pm when we were visited by an awful Gale and Clouds of dust. "
--2nd Rhode Island: "had a furious gale today with clouds of dust filling the air..."
--121st New York: "rather windy"

It sounds like typical severe Virginia weather roared through the camps on this Monday evening. There is no evidence, but you have to wonder if a small tornado touched down in Culpeper.