The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-04-29
NO. $40.
Dangerous Balloon Ascension OF Gen. Porte,

The " Y HerdlFs correspondent writing
under date of tho | lth inst. says: The ex'
citing event of the day has been balloon re
connoissance by General Fil4 John Potter on
scale of rather largo magnitude than was
intended At five o'clock in the morning
Gen. Porter took his place in Professor loves
balloon. He supposed the usual rumber OF
ropes we're attached to it, whereas there was
only one, and a place in this, as was after.
wards ascortained, had been burned by yitrol,
used in generating gas. Taking his seat in
the car unsccompanied by any one, the rope
was let out to nearly It's full length-the
length is 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 looked up with
astonishment, and the General looked down
with equal bewildcrment.
"Opeu the valve )" shouted ono of the men
below
"pl manage it" responded the General.
Up went the balloon, higher higher. II
rose with great rapidity; its huge form lessen.
ed rs it wildly mounted into the reg ons Of the
upper air; it became speck in the sky, The
wind was taking it in the direction Of the
enomy's territory. BY this time every staff
officer and hundreds Of othors were lokiug at
the moving speck. II is impossible to de,.
cribe the anxiety felt an expressed for the fate
Of him, the central object of thought, in that
far away moving speck, every moment bccom.
ing less visible. 1t is seen to move in our
direction; the countenances Of our men brgh.
ten with hope. II passes over our heads. -
S on it begins to descend, but with rapidity
that arousos renewed apprehension. Quickly
squad of cavalry, led by Captain Docke, aud
Lieutenant McQuade, .. the Generals staff,
plunge spurs into their Eolses AMI dash away
in the direction Of the descending balloon. -
The best of the story is as | received it from
the Generals own lips. While the ropo was
being plaid out lie adjusted his glass in read
mess for his proposed view of the enemys
territory. A sudden bound of the balloon
told him in moment that the rope had given
way. He dropped bis glass, heard the call,
"Open the valve" made the response given
above, aud set about loking for the valyc.-
IIo was sensible Of being fllghty (the General
loves Pun rs well as the next onc), but was
not at all nervous. lie saw the wind had
taken him over the line in the rebe! entrench.
ments. Having no wish to drop it 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 rushel from the woods,
and be was above the reach Of their bullets,
so he was not afraid on this scolo. The map
OF the country wa. distinctly discernbe.-
lie saw Yorktown and its works, York River
and its winnings, and Norfolk aud its smoh-
ing chimneys. a counter c rrent OF air
struck the balloon aud its course was reversed
its retreat from over rebel ON Wa rapid
He opened the valve, the gas escaped, and
down it came. He could not say how fast he
came down, but it was with rapidity lie would
not care TO have repeated. The car struck
the top Of shelter tent--under which, luckily
no one happened to be at the tIne-knocked
the tent i0to pi, and left him enveloped in
mass of collar psed oil silk. lie crawled OUT
and found himself in the middle Of a camp,
no. one hunlrel rods from Gen. McClellans
headquarters.
81 came mounted you see, was his remark
to Gen. Burns, who was about the tirst man
by his side. He gave the details Of his eraI
VOYAGE to Gen. Burns, who, seeing the oppor-
tunity of getting of joke, could not lose the
opportunity.