Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-07-11
A sight rrom tho balloon.

Col loves balloon yesterday was stationed
near Gaines Mills, on the right centre Of the
Union line, and within six miles of Richmond.
It was in the air the whole day, and in the
few hours il ascended, some thirty OF forty
army officers observed the position of the enc
my's troops from the elevated point of view it
afforded The balloon is held to the ground
by strong cord, q thousand feet in length,
and of course ascends to that distance above
the earth. A pulley and tackle arrangement,
worked by men below, is the power used to
pull il down, and, being strongly fastened to
the earth. there is very little danger of the ma
chimes escape. The Colonel and his assistants
very seldom ascend, officers and others, with
authority for the ascension, being sent up by
twos and threes at a time, and, after lew
minutes stay, hauled down.
When the balloon has ascended at this point
to the end of its tether, grand view Of both
armies is unfolded Within a circle of two
miles in radius the sight is very perfect; be-
yond that the angle of vision becomes so near
w horizontal that woods, houses and hills ma
terially interfere with the view. The land
scape has three marked objects upon it, which
are the first TO strike the eye The Chicka-
homny, almost beneath ones feet, bordered
by its dark-green swamps, runs like a thread
from where il rises ON the horizon, away off to
the northwest, to where il blends with woods
and hills in the southeast. The James river
in front, though distant, runs in deep, crook
ed valley, and bears on its bosom hundreds of
craft that, in the distance, looks like white
specks upon the blue waters.
Richmond, covering large portion of the
western horizon, is, however, the principal
sight 1t appears to the balloonist as q con
fused medley of red, white and black, and
heavy brown Notifications stretching from the
right to the left, with thick walls plentifully
rinlr lp1 Wit
sides The Capitol Square can scarcely be
discerned being too thickly surrounded by
buildings The white Capitol, however, IS
quite conspicuous, and, ofcourse, 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 eye almost be-
fore the observer is aware he is looking at
Richmond But little else, however, can be
| distinguished, although, for general view OF
| the town, nothing could be better than that
from the balloon.
The space between the Chickahominy and
the fortifications around Richmond is almost
filled with rebel camps. A thousand cavalry
horses were picketed in one field, and Others
were plentifully sprinkled all about. Wedge
tents, used by the officers, and little dog tents
by the men, shone in every direction as the
suns rays struck them. lntrenchments and
rifle pits line the front of the position, though
very lew guns WCIc UlOuHbtu. DcNcIdl guns
of heavy calibre are sprinkled along the earth
works. Rebel camps, however, are the most
prominent of all the sights. They show in
every direction, and the southern and western
horizon seems to be their only boundary.
Of our own position, as seen by the balloon,
| must be silent One thing, however, in the
whole view is most remarkable Right thro'
the center of the picture runs curved belt
of dark green and yellow about mile wide.
| Not man, gun, tent, or wagon, appears upon
| it. 1t is the line between the two armies
Over it cannon balls are thrown, and on its
surface scouts and pickets hide from each 9th
er, but no military sign is to be seen upon it
Everywhere else, stretching as far as the eye
can reach are the thousand and one thing
incident to war; but this broad, quiet, deserted
belt of land, so lonely, so sombre, varying on
ly as it is swamp or field, or stream, lies ther
so still that it almost inspires the beholdel
Jupiters rings or Saturn's belts never wore
grander sight than this belt of land ON whic
nothing like tent or gun appears.-C0r. Fha
| Press