Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-07-04

.. f.--. I.r..- balloon. yesterday. was Ftsti Eed
rctf Gaines Nli., Uu tae right centre ei TIE
FEDERAL line. aai within -N miles Of kicamoni.
De- va. .r t.. ais trc Who'll. Day. aud iu the few
f,g-. d.. a-c-r5oi some ftir-v or forty army olc-
.rs observed the position 90 the enemy troops
from t1e elevated point Of view it Afforded.
The balloon is h,ii to the ground by a suous
cord d tlous- nd feet IN length and "t course as
ccpis &, that distance above the earth. 4 pulley
ami tackle ar-ar cement worked By men below Is
tie power used TO pull it down, and being strong
lv fastened 10 the earth, there is but very little
ia ger Of the machines escape
When fhc balloon ha7 as-cuicd at this point 20
the end oi the tsthor, grand view 9. both armies
is unfcldoi. Within circle oi two miles IN "a
aim. tho si-ht Is very perfect; before that the
angle cf vision becomes so nearly horizontal that
woods. houses anl hills materially interfere with
the view. The llndsc7pc has three marked OBJ
ct. uto1 it whish are Che first 90 strike the eye.
.r5c Cli.kahominy. almost beneath ones feet,
borlercd bT its dark green swamps, runs Ike a
thread from where 1t rises on the horizon, away
OF t1 the Northwest O. where % blends Win
woods nj hills in the Southeast.
The James river ia front, though distant, runs
in A deep. crooked valley, and bear, on its bosom
hundreds Of craft that, IN the distance, look like
white specks upon tae blue waters. Richmond
covering large portion Of the Western horizon,
Is, however, the principal sight Il appears to the
bailoonist as a confused medly Of red White and
black, s.d heavy brown fortifcations, stretching
from TIC right 10 the left, with thick walls and
pIentifully sprinkled with cannon, surround 1t on
all sides.
The Capitol Square can scarcely be discerned,
being too thickly surrounded by 5aildings. The
white edpitol however, is quite conspicuous, and
Of cours O. tho stars end bars Goat over the ro0t.-
Three church spires. seemi-siy all IN one spot
are the brightest part Of the town. and catch the
eve .imast before the observer Is aware he Is look
iu- al Righm1ad. But little else, bovever, can
be distiu zuished al aithougl, for general view Of
the town, nothing coull be better than that from
ths bs.loou. ne space between the Chicsanominy
sad the foTti6cations around Eicdmond Is almos;
allied vith rebel camps.
A thou and cavalry horses were p'ck' n one
field, and others were pient.iuliS sPfiuklea all
about Wedge tents, used b. the chcers, AID
lttc do- tents by the men, shone in every direc-
tim ss the suns rays struck them. Intrenehments
az rife pits iincd the lIon. Ct their positioni
though very few guns we're mounted. Several
T Sunz 4 ls4vy cali5re are sprirklad along these
earihvl-a.. kebel camps, however, are tie most
: promilcnl ot IA the sigats. They show In every
Z direction and the Southern and Western horizon
B seems 70 be their only boundary.
OF our Own positila, a. seen from tho balloon
/ must be silent. Dne thing, however, in the whole
/ view Is most remarkable. Right through the cen
TIE of ,he picture rrus curved belt Of DARK ge
and yellow about mile wide. Not nlan, gun,
tent, or wagon appssr upon il. 1t is the line ee'