The Placer herald., 1862-09-06
NUMBER. |
View of Richmond and the Armies Be.
fore it from Mid Air.

Colonel loves balloon recently was sta.
toned near Gaines Mills on The right centre
Of the Federal line and within six miles of
Richmond. 1t was in the whole day, and in
the few hours it assembled, some thirty OF forty
army officers observed the position of the
eneny's troops from the elevated point of
view it afforded. The balloon is held to the
ground 10y strong cord thousand feet in
length, and of course ascends to that distance
above the earth. A pulley and tackle ar
raneement, worked by men below, is the
power used to pull it down, an being
strongly fastened to the earth, there is but
little danger Of the machines escape. The
Colonel and his assistants very seldom as.
cend, officers and others, with authority for
the ascension, being SAINT up by twos and
threes At a time, and, after few minutes
stay, hauled down.
When the balloon has ascended at this
point to the eud Of its tether, a grand view
Of both armies is unfoided Within circle
OF two miles in radius the sight is verv per-
feel; beyond that the angle of vision becomes
so nearly horizontal that the woods. houses
and hills materially interfere with the view
The landscape has three marked objects up
on it which are the first to strike the eve
The Chickahomny. almost beneath ones
foot boIdered by i:s' dark green swanps
runs like a thread from where it rises on The
horizon, away off to the northwest. to where
il blends with the woods and hills in the
southeast. The James river in front, though
distant, runs in a deep, crooked valley. and
bears on Its bosom hundreds of craft that. in
tie distance, look like white specks upon
the b ue waters. Richmond covering
large portion of the western horizon. is.
however the principal sight. 1t appears to
the haloonists rs u confused medley of red.
white and black. and heavy brown fortified,
tons stretching from the right to the left,
with thick walls, plentfuIly sprinkled with
cannon, surrounding it on all sides. The
Capital Square can hardly be discerned, be-
ing too thlckly surrounded by buildings
The white Capitol is quite conspicuous, and of
course the stars and bars float over the roof.
Three church spires, seemingly all in one
spot, are the brightest part of the town, and
catch the eve almost before the observer is
aware he is looking at Richmond Little
else can be distinguished, although, for a
general view Of The town, nothing could lie
better than that frcm the balloon. The
space between the Chickahomny and thE
for,ifica'ions around Richmond is almost
filled with rebel camps. A thousand cavalry
horses were pickeled in one field, and Others
were scattered pentituIv about Wedge
tents, used by the officers and dog tents by
the men, shone in every direction rs the
suns rays struck them. In'renchments and
rifle pits lined the front of their position,
though very few guns were mounted Sew
eral guus of heavy cahbre arc sprinkled
along these earlhworks. Rebel camps are
the most prominent of all sights. They
show in every direction, and the southern
and western horizon seems to be their only
boundary
Of our own position, as seen from the
balloon, must be silent. One thing how.
ever, in the whole view, is most remarkable.
Right through the centre of the picture
runs curved belt Of dark green and yellow
about a mile wide Not a man, gun, tent or
wagon appears upon it. 1t is the line be.
tween the two armies. Over it cannon balls
are thrown, and on it's surface scouts and
pickets hide from one another, but no mill.
tary sign is to he seen upon it. Every
where else, stretching as far as the eye can
reach, are the thousand and one things incl
dent to war; but this broad, quie', deserted
belt OF land, so lonely. SO sombre. varying
only as it is swampy, or field, or stream, lies
there so still that it almost inspires the be.
holder. Jupiter's rings or Saanss belts never
were grander sight than this belt. of land on
which nothing like tent or gun meets the eye.