Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-16

In CAMP, BEFORE THE FNTRENCHHENTs ATl
YORK OWN, VA, April ii, 1852 /
an Aeriai Voyage Ertruordinug-Per Po.
sitiOn of General Porter-An Internal Machine
The exciting event of the day has been
balloon reconnaissance by General Fitz John
Porter, on a scale of larger magnitude than
was intended. AT five O'Clock in the morning
General Porter took his place in Prof Loves
balloon. He supposed the usual number of
ropes were attached to it, whereas there was
only one, and a place in this, as was after.
wards ascertained, had been burned with Wit
rlol, used in generating gas. Taking his seat
in the car, unaccOmpanled by any one, the
rope was let out TO nearly its full length, about
nine hundred yards, when suddenly snap went
the cord, and up went the balloon This was
an unexpected part Of the programme The
men below looked up with astonishment, and
the General looked down with equal bewilder
ment.
"Open the valve" shouted one below.
"l'll manage ii" responded the general.
Up went the balloon, higher, higher, with
great rapidity lis huge form lessened as it
wildly mounted into the regions OF the upper
air; 1t became speck in the sky. The wind
was taking ii in the direction OF the enemy's
territory. BY this time every staff officer and
hundreds OF others were looking at the NOV
ing speck. 1t is impossible to describe the
anxiety felt and expressed1Or the fate OF him,
the central object of thought, in that far away
moving spetk, every moment becoming less
visible. 1t is seen to move i'll our direction
the Countenances of our men brighten with
hope. 1t passes ovel our heads. Soon it be-
gins to descend, but with rapidity that
arouses renewed apprehension. Quickly a
squad OF cavalry, led by Captain Locke,
Lieutenant McQuade, of the generals staff,
plunge spurs into their horses and dash away
in the direction of the descending balloon
The rest OF the story is as [ received it
from the generals own lips. While the rope
was being played ont he adjusted his glass in
readiness Tor his proposed view of the enemy's
territory. A sudden bound Of the balloon told
him in moment that the rope had given
way. He dropped his glass, heard the call,
"open the valves" male the response given
above, and set about looking for the valve.
lie was sensible of being Eighty 1.-THE general
loves a pun us well as the next one) but was
not at all nervous. lie saw the wind had
taken him over the line Of the rebel entrench
mens. Having no wish to drop in among
them he let the valve take care Of itself. and
proceeded to take advantage of his position TO
note the aspect of rebel objects below Crowds
of soldiers rushed from the woods, and lie
heard their shouts distinctly. Luckily he was
above the reach OF their bullets, SO he was
not afraid on this score
The map of the country was distinctly dis.
cernable. lie saw Yorktown and its works
York river and its windings, and Norfolk and
its smoking Chimneys. A counter current of
air struck the balloon, and its course was re.
versed Its retreat from over rebedom was
rapid lie opened the valve, the gas escaped,
and down he came. He could not say how
fast he came down, but it was with rapidity
lie would not care TO have repeated. The car
gtruQk the ton nj a ctplfpr iapt--unIar ,rh
luckily, no one h ppened to be at the time
knockt d the tent into pi, and left him enve
Oped in mass of collapsed oil silk. He
crawled out, and found himself in the middle
of camp, not one hundred rods from General
McClellan's headquarters.
To-day a large shell was picked up by Mai.
Scharf, OF the thirteenth New York voluu-
teers, eyincing climax of diabocal intent ON
the part of the rebels surprising any prior
revelation in this line. AS the shell had not
exploded ii was deemed prudent TO handle it
cautiously. 1t proved to he an Internal ma.
chine OF the first water, The top OF the plum.
ger extending beyond the surface more than
is usual excited suspicion, and instead of UNI
loading il in the ordinary way, by unscrewng
the plunger the contents were removed BY
loosing the casing. This mode of unload
ing developed the fact that between
the plunger, containing the cap, and
the plate on which it strikes, cotton had
been introduced, thus preventing conclusion
and consequent explosion when the shell
struck the ground. On the side of the plung-
err a place had been filed in and filled with
matches, communicating with the powder, so
that by unscrewing the former the matches
would be ignited by the friction, causing the
shell to explode. Who will not say that this
was an internal machine of the first water, and
that The toiling OF the enemy in their liabocal
purpose was not most fortunate? | need not
add that our men in the handling and unload.
ing of these dangerous missiles, have received |
lesson whose teaching is not likely to be
neglected in future