 Ballooning in the Civil War
Ballooning began in 1783, when two French brothers, Etienne and Joseph Montgolfier launched a hot air filled, 33 foot diameter "paper bag," to an altitude of 1000 feet. Soon after, Jacques Alexander Cesar Charles, continued with experiments using hydrogen gas. Silk, coated in natural gum rubber in linseed oil, replaced the paper bag. "The Globe," unmanned, was launched in Paris and reached at least 2000 feet. To demonstrate that the atmosphere was safe, a sheep, a duck and a rooster were sent aloft later that year.
The first flight of a human areonaut took place in Paris, when Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier made several tethered flights. On November 21, 1783, Rozier made the first un-tethered balloon ascent.
Rozier and a passenger were also the first air fatalities, when in June of 1785, while attempting to cross the English Channel, his hydrogen filled balloon ignited while at 3000 feet.
In the United States, a number of individuals began to experiment with ballooning. In 1785, the study of aeronautics was initiated at the College of William and Mary at the urging of Thomas Jefferson. A "Balloon Club" was formed.
The French were the first to consider a military application. They formed the first balloon corps. in 1794. The aerostiers participated as observers for the French at the battle of Fleurs, staying in the air for 10 hours.
The first ascent in the United States took place in Philadelphia on January 9, 1793, by Frenchman Pierre Blanchard. In 1840, Secretary of War Joel Poinsett proposed using balloons in Florida against the Indians. His idea was not acted upon. During the war with Mexico, John Wise suggested
a bombardment of the fortress at Vera Cruz by balloon, but, again, nothing came of the idea.
In June of 1861, Wise did begin construction of a balloon for the United States Army. The basket of the craft had an armor plated bottom to withstand enemy small arms fire.
After two disastrous mishaps handling the balloon, and before it could be used, the idea was shelved. Already an accomplished balloonist, Thaddeus Lowe offered his service to the Union. On June 18, 1861, he transmitted
the first air to ground telegraph message from his balloon "Enterprise," tethered at 500 feet above Washington. Here is the message he sent;
Balloon Enterprise
June 18, 1861
To the President of the United States
Sir;
This point of observation commands an area nearly fifty miles in diameter. The city, with its girdle of encampments, presents a superb scene. I take great pleasure in sending you this first dispatch ever telegraphed from an aerial station, and in acknowledging my indebtedness to your encouragement for the opportunity of demonstrating the availability of the science of aeronautics in the military service of the country.
T. S. C. Lowe
Given $150 for gas and fifteen men from the 8th New York Infantry, only four days later Lowe and Enterprise were sent to join McDowell at Arlington, Virginia.
While Lowe stressed the advantage of aerial observation and recon, other applications were discovered when Major Leyard Colburn of the 2nd Connecticut went up with Lowe in order to make maps.
On July 24, 1861, Lowe flew the first recon mission, un-tethered at an altitude of about 18,000 feet. On that mission he also became the first aviator subjected to "friendly fire." Lowe came down about 2.5 miles behind enemy lines and was rescued by the 31st New York Infantry, although there is a story that it was his wife who drove a team to rescue him.
Newly formed, by 1862 the United States Balloon Corps had several balloons. The "Enterprise," "Eagle," "Constitution," "Washington," "Intrepid," Lowe's search for pilots, "chief aeronauts" as Lowe referred to them, led him to men like, John Steiner, James Allen, Ebenezer Mason.
Another first took place on August 29, 1961, when Confederates, tired of ineffective small arms firing, trained a rifled cannon on the balloon "Union," operating near Fort Corcoran, Virginia. This first anti-aircraft fire missed its mark.
The U. S. Balloon Corps served on the Mississippi River, Port Royal, and during the Peninsular Campaign. At Fair Oaks, Lowe identified a movement thought by those on the ground as a feint, to be a major attack. The message Lowe telegraphed allowed troops to be sent to meet the attack and turn it back.
Along with the Balloon Corps came the first air craft carrier. John LaMountain operated two balloons off of a transport vessel U. S. S. Fanny. LaMountain's first flight from the ship was on August 3, 1861, opposite Sewall Point, Virgina. He was able to detect and sketch Confederate fortifications that had not been previously observed.
The first aerial observation directing artillery fire took place September 24, 1861 when Thaddeus Lowe directed guns at Chain Bridge, Virginia, to fire upon Confederate positions at Falls Church. Range and deflection were related by telegraph. This type of direction was also used at Island No. 10.
Despite the successes and the huge potential that had been demonstrated, the Balloon Corp had serious problems. Lowe and his aeronauts were civilians. Even though aiding the military, they were poorly treated, and even mistreated. Captain Cyrus Comstock was appointed to head the Corps. He reduced the pay of a chief aeronaut from $10 per day to $6 per day. Good pay of course, yet as civilians, Lowe and his men were risking capture as spies every time they went up. Disgusted with additional red tape, the firing of his father from the ground crew, and the insults he and his group
were subjected to, Lowe resigned in May of 1863. The U. S. Balloon Corp was officially disbanded the next month.
One of the biggest compliments the Balloon Corp could have received, came from Gen. Longstreet, who said, "We were longing for the balloons that poverty denied us."
There were a couple of attempts to get Confederate balloons in the air. John Bryan, under the direction of Gen. John B. Magruder briefly used a hot air balloon at the Peninsula. Langdon Cheves built a balloon at his own expense from imported silk dresses. Operating at Gaines' Mill, another aviation first, as Cheves observed for the Confederacy, Lowe was, at the same time, observing for the Union. The first time opposing armies utilized air craft. Cheves even had his balloon tied to the tugboat "Teaser" making it sort of a Confederate aircraft carrier. The tug towed the balloon above the James River. Just below Malvern Hill the tug ran aground and the tug, and balloon were captured by the Union Gun boat "Maritanza." Another first, the first capture of an aircraft, and an aircraft carrier.
As if you don't have enough "stuff" to read, if you are interested in CW ballooning you might want to look for these;
A chapter dedicated to ballooning in "Civil War Firsts," by
Gerald Henig & Eric Niderost.
"The Aeronauts, A History of Ballooning 1783-1903," by
L. T. Rolt
"War of the Aeronauts," by
Charles Evans
"Military Ballooning During the Early Civil War," by
F. Stansbury Haydon
"The Romance of Ballooning, the Story of Early Aeronauts," by Edita Lausanne
"The Eagle Aloft," by Tom Crouch
"Above the Civil War, the Story of Thaddeus Lowe," by
Eugene Block
An interesting mix of science and the military worth exploring, IMO.
Regards, Dave Gorski  |
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