The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-09-04

The BALLOON, AN AUXILIARY OF WAR.-One
Of the most remarkable feats ever recorded in
modern warfare, showing the ingenuity of man
in bringing science to his aid, is the introduction
Of the Balloon, as an assistant in carrying on a
war. This was for the first time successfully in
troduced in a recent battle before Richmond, and
is thus graphically described in a letter to a New
York paper, from the telegraph operator, VINO
conducted the feat
For some time past L have been ordered by
Col. Eckert (our superintendent Of military tele-
graphs) to try a Geographic experiment from a
balloon. Saturday morning, when We heard that
a great battle must be fought, Professor Lowe
notified me that l should extend the wire to his
balloon, and would try it. In one hour we had
brought the wire a mile and a half, and l was
ready to ascend with the Professor. The battle
had commenced. When it had reached Its zenith.
Professor Lowe and myself, with the telegraph,
had reached an altitude of two thousand feet.
With the aid of good glasses we were enabled to
view the whole affair between these powerful con-
tending armies.
Z" AS the fight progressed, hasty observations
were made by the Professor and given to me verb
ally, al Of which | instantly forwarded to Gen.
Mcclellan and division commanders through the
agency of the obedient field instrument which
stood by our side in the bottom Of the car. Oc-
casionally a masked rebel battery would open
upon our brave fellows. In such cases the occu-
pants of the balloon would inform our artillerists
of its position, and the next shot or two would,
in every case, silence the masked and annoying
customer.
s. For hours, and until quite dark, we remain
ed in the air, the telegraph keeping up constant
communication with some point. From the bal
loon to Fortress Monroe, a distance of over one
hundred miles, this wire worked beautifully. \
number of messages were sent and received be-
tween these two points, and had it not been for
tho framnpHonS ruSh Of husinpSS on the wirp |
should have telegraphed you directly from the
balloon, while the battle was raging.
"Sunday morning at d~aybreak we again ascend
ed. Early in the morning the battle was renew
ed, and with more ferceness than the day before.
lncessant firing of musketry and artillery was
kept up until noon, when | had the extreme
pleasure to announce by telegraph from the bal
loon that we could see the enemy retreating rapid
ly towards Richmond. At this time we could see
firing on James river to the left of Richmond,
distance from the balloon (some said) fifteen
miles. The fire was of short Duration"
HOW RICHMOND LOOKED FROM THE BALLOON.
"The streets of Richmond in the morning
IL deserted appearance, there being but
very few people to be seen in the streets. Dur
ing the afternoon Of Sunday nothing of interest
beyond the removal of the rebel dead
and wounded, all of which we could distinctly
see from the balloon. Every available machine
that had wheels was brought into requisition for
this purpose. From the scene of battle into the
city of Richmond the road was literally lined
ambulances, wagons and carts, conveying
the dead and wounded.
About twilight we saw camp-fres nnumera
bic around the city smoke issued from all their
and barracks, which showed us to a
certainty that the main body of their army had
fallen back to Richmond. Monday morning we
made several ascensions, and found a small force
near the last scene of action, and thousands of
marching out from the city, so you may
This is beyond question, one of the most re-
narkable feats the ingenuity of man has ever yet
compassed.