Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-03
BALLOON RKCONNOEssANCE.
E'ie'0 o. Rtchss0sS aud TIE .rrs.is, Befoy.
e from .Iia-.Ffr.
Of the Philadelphia Prssa

=
Correspondence Of the Philadelphia PrssaT
Col loves balloon was yesterday s-tationa5
near Gaines mills, on the night center of tbe
Federal line and within six miles Of Richmond
1t was in the air during the whole day, and in
the lew hours it assembled, some thirty or fortv
army officers observed the position of The ons.
my's troops nom the elevated point Of view II
afforded The balloon is held to the ground by
3 strong cord a thousand feet in length. and al
course aseends to that distance above the earth.
A pulley and tackle arrangement, worked bv
men below, is the power used to pull it down
and, being strongly fastened to the earth, there
is but little danger Of the machines escana
The colonel and his assistants very seldom az
cend, officers and others, with authority for tn
ascension, being sent up By twos and ihress A.
8 time, and, after a few minutes stay, hauled
down.
When the balloon has assembled at this point
to the end Of its tether, a grand view Of both ar
mics is unfolded. Within a circle Of two miles
IN radius the sight is very pertecti beyond that
the angle Of vision becomes so nearly horizontal
that the woods, houses and hills, matsnally in
terfers with the view. The landscape has three
marked objects upon il, which are the first -
strike the eye. The Chickahominy, almost be-
meath ones feet, b0rdered By its dark green
sWamps, runs like a thread from where It rises
on the horizon, way of to the northwest, 20
where it 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, ID
the distance, look Ike white specks upon the
blue waters.
Richmond, covering a large portion Of the
western horizon, IS, however, the principal
sight 1t appears to the ballOonists as a con
fused medley Of red, whits and black, and heavy
brown Publications stretching from the right b
the left, with thick walls and PlenifuLy sprnkled
with cannon, surround il on al sides. The Can
ital square can hardly be discerned, being too
thiekly surrounded with buildings. The white
capital, however, is quite conspicuous, and Of
course, the stars and bars float over the roof.
Three church spires, seemingly al in one spot,
are the brightest parto the town, and catch the
eye almost before the observer is aware he Is
looking st Richmond. But little else, however.
can be distinguished, although, for a general
view Of the town, nothing could be better than
that from the balloon. The space between the
C-hickahominy and the Publications around
Richmond Is almost filed with rebel camps.
a thousand cavalry horses were picketed In
one field, and others were p~lendfully sprnkIed
all about. Wedge tents, used By the officers.
and little dog tents By the men, shons in every
direction as the suns rays struck them. In
trenchments and rite pits lined the front Of
their position, though very few guns were
mounted Several guns Of heavy caHbre are
sprnked along these earthW0rks. Rebel camps,
however, are the most prominent Of al the
sights. They show IN every direction, and the
southern and western horizon seems to be their
only boundary.
Of our " position, as seen from the bal
loon, i must be silent. One thing, however, IN
the whole view is most remarkable. Right
through the center Of the picture runs q curved
belt Of dark green and yellow about a mile
wide. Not a man, gun, tent OF wagon appears
upon it. 1t is the line between the -Eo armies.
Over it cannon balls are thrown, and on its sur
face scouts and pickets hide from each other.
but no military sign is to be seen upon It.
Everywhere else, stretching as far as the eye
can reach, are the thousand and ore things IN
cident to war; but this broad, quiet, deserted 81
belt Of land, SO lonely, so sombre, varying only
as it is swamp, or field, or stream, lies there 81
still that it almos inspires the behOldsr. Jupi
tsrs rings OF SatUrn's belts never wore q grand
er sight than this bels Of and on which nCthne
like tent or gun appears.