Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-18

The telegraphie Superintendent with Nc
Z Olsllnis army gives this interesting sketch
Of the telegraphing from the balloon al
the battle Of Fair Oaks:
The telegraph has been called upon to
perform still more mysterious wonder.
For some time past have been ordered by
Col. Eckert, tour superintendent Of Mill
tary telegraphs) TO try telegraphie e1per-
iment from balloon. Saturday morning,
when we heard that great battle must be
fought, Prof. Lowe notified me that should
[ extend the wire 10 his balloon, and we
would try H. In one hour we had brought
the wire 3 mile and half, and was ready
70 ascend with the Professor The battle
had commeneed. When il had reached its
I Zenith, Professor Lowe and myself, With
the telegraph, had reached an altitude Of
2iOO0 feet With the aid Of good glasses
we were enabled TO view the whole affair
between these powerful lcontending armies
As the light progressed, hasty observations
were made By the Professor and given 10
me verbally, all of which instantly for
wGrded. to Gen. Mcclellan and division
commanders, through the agency Of the
our side in the bottom Of the car. Occa-
siOnallya q mhsksd rebel battery would
open upon our brave fellows.
In sneh eases the occupants Of the bal
l00a, would inform cur artiiierists ofiits
position and the next shot or two would,
in every case, silence the masked and an
noying customer. For hours and until
quite dark, we remained in the air, the
telegraph keeping up constant communica-
tion with some point. From the balloon to
Fortress Monroe, a distance Of over one
hundred miles, this wire worked beauti-
fully. A number Of messages were sent
and received between these two points, and
bad it mot been for the rush Of business on
the wire, l should have telegraphed you
directly from the balloon while the battle
was raging. Sunday morning At daybreak
we again assembled. Early in tho morning
the battle was renewed aud with more
than the day before. Incesssnt
firing Of musketFy and artillery was kept
up until noon, when / had the extreme
pleasure to announce By telegraph from
the balloon that we could see The enemy
retreating rapidly toward Richmond. AT /
this time we could see firing on James /
river To- the left Of Richmond, distance
from the balloon (some said) fifteen miles. /
This fire was of short duration. ..I 81 |
HOW RICHMOND LOOKED FROM THE BALLOON. |
The streets Of Richmond in the morning
presented a deserted appearance, but very |
few people to be found in the streets. Dur /
Ing the afternoon and evening Of Sunday |
nothing Of interest transpired beyond the /
removal Of the rebel dead and wounded, /
all Of which could be distinctly seen from
he balloon. Every available machine that
had wheels was brought into requisition
for this purpose. From the scene Of battle
into Richmond, the road was literally /
lined with alRbulances, wagons and carts,
conveying dead and wounded AbOut
twilight We saw camp fires inuumerable
around the city; smoke issued from ali I
heir hospitals and barracks, which showed /
US to certainty that the main body of the
lrmyhad fallen back to Richmond. Monday
we made several ascensions, and
.ound a small force near the last scene Of
action, and thousands of troops marching
,ut from the city, so you may look mo
nentarily for q report Of another severe
,attle.