Evening star., 1861-12-04
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.
MILITARY KRoNAurice /.

Very many of our readers are familiar win the
mode Of taking balloon observations fof military
purposes as conducted by Prof Live, but they
may not be aware that the erial observations
made BY Prof La Mountain (stationed near the
Alexandris Seminary with the ssme object are
carried out upon an entirely different system.
The Lowe balloon 10 anchored TO the earth, and
elevated or depressed by means OF cord, and at
tains a maximum height Of ten or twelve hundred
feet. This mode has ADVANTAGES In the way Of
afording prompt communication, telegraphic or
otherwise, with the earth.
Professor La Mountain, acting upon the theory
to which he has given some years study, that
balloon travel may be regulated with precision
by taking advantage of the contrary currents Of
air which it Is believed always prevail at differ.
ent elevations, launches boldly forth into the
heavens and sails away down over Dixies land,
high above the heads of astonished secesh. How
ering over JEFF. .Dav's-dom at an elevation of from
one to two miles (well out of rife range), the
eron iut with busy eye notes aught that may be
deemed Of Interest at military headq uarters; and
then, when secesh-who has been following him
with wrathful eye-imagines the uckless voyager
to be drifting, helpless, right into his clutches,
down comes a silver shower Of sand ballast, and
up leaps the balloon peg higher into the heav-
ems strikes the counter current, and sails saucly
back TO the domain of the stars and stripes.
Prof La Mountain has made six successful re-
connoitering excursions upon this theory within
the last month and half, going down over the
enemy's lines with the sub-current and return.
ing by the counter current Sometimes an eleva-
| tim Of something like four miles has been de-
manded ere reaching the counter-current, but II
has ALWAYS been found. without doubt the aid
| Incidentally given TO balloon experimenting by
| Government, during the present war, will enable
| eronauts to collect valuable data In furtherance
Of their Investigate
Prof. La Mountain has with him Mr.. A. Ken
drick, assistant, and Mr. N. +. White, draughts-
man.
The "Army Balloon Corps" as designating
mark, wear the letters B. C, and the figure of a
balloon upon the front Of the cap.
INrERs.rISe INTELLIGENCE FROM rHr EsRsy,s
Lines. =.
We have interesting and reliable Information
from beyond our lines on the other side Of the
hvef, as foliows:-The scouting parties Of the en-.
emy seen and heard Of there are, habitually, the
Old ptckets, each Of whom Is required to make q
scout after coming of There was a regiment OF
Infantry, about 1000 strong, at Germantown abou,
| a"eek since. No other considerable force is thii
sac OF Centreville. They eften come down In
'orce ana go back again. This regiment at Ger.
mantown with cavalry does all the picket duty
I'D this direction Three weeks since, II was re-
| ported at CentevIlle that they bad seventy O,
eighty thousand men, in all, between CentrevilIe
and Bull Run, with few troops on a road lead
| Ing to Manassas. At that time two South Caro-.
| lima regiments and battery were to 90 South on
the following Saturday. There was a great deal
OF trouble between the Virginia and South Caro-.
Ilna troops. The house Of Mrs Walters, neal
walters mill, had been made hospital There
were no troops at Fairfax
The last seen Of the enemy in any force he
{ tween Fairfax and Vienna was on SUNDAY nIUb,
. last az the Union school house between Pea
! COCKS Hill and Gen. McCall,s lines They 70.
dined tnere In large force nearly all night, and
week ago yesterday, large force of cavalry
ana infantry matched from Hunters mill mas,
walters mill and came 70 the turnpike. th,eu
| out force to Difficult Greek, and then TO the
IOn-gatei and still another In the rear, towaras
zen. hcCall's lines. The people In the neigh.
oorhood supposed they remained all night.
An ExrsSDzD REcoNNors.AScr.
General Fitz John Porter reported Last niuh, N
headquarters here, that on the day before yes,s,.
day he arranged with Generals Mccall, Hancock
ana "adsworth, 10 scout tue country ffom
vienna = Hunters IN, and sent out at twelve
ociock (ol the night Of the 2d Instantly 400 of tte
"a Maine, under Lieut. Col. yarney; 100 sbarn.
snooten OF the 22d Massachusetts, under M,;a,
Tilton, to be specially stationed and followed
them yesterday morning BY the 81 Pennsylvania
caValry-all under Colonel Averill-to scour the
country. The whole command returned veste,.
day, and Col. Averill reported that while pstrol.
ing tne country from beyond Vienna to Hunters
MIL no enemy was seen, except two small mar.
Hes-one OF three, beycnd Vienna and one OF A.
Teen: nearly two miles beyond hunters Mill-to
| neither OF which could he get close No enemv
mas been in the region he visited since SUNDAY
ne expressed great satisfaction at the manner I'm
which all parties acted yesterday, and think.
Cap'. Bell was fortunate in no, losing last week,
niswhole squadron f; as the party which attach
ana pursued him was over We times his number
oen. "adsworth guarded the road from near
falriax TO Vienna, Gen Hancock ,ar Walters
MIL ana Gen. Mccall had foraging party on
DimcuIt Nun. No enemy was seen by eitbe: of
them Dense smoke Of camp fires was seen rising
from Germantown to nesr Frying Pan
coSrEDERArE COLONEL KILLED
oen. biencker reported last nj sht to head
quarters mere that Yesterday afternoon his out
iOs" haa an engagement with the enemy's cavalry
ana infantry, IN which bis troops took .ome
pssne"' wno fePortthat In the engagement the
Ioionei OF the rebel cavalry was killed. Auwas
quiet around and In his lines towards nghtfan
GONE TO FREDERICK.
fePofs Were received las; evening at head.
duat'en mere OF the arrival Of Gen Banks al
FREDERICK. Gen. Hamilton's brigade had reached
mere, aud Gen AbeIcrombie was On the road
WIN MS orig ade Gen. Wiiliams's brigade takes
up the line Of march for Frederick and its vicinity
this morning.