The New York herald., 1863-01-11


thorough inspection Of the light twelve pounder
nunton excepting the shot, showsthas greater
portion II Il is worthless
From the hasty and unworkmanhke manner In which
sse fitted and set several casualties occurred
20 eur own during the recen, bats'e
General Hunt, Chief Of Artillery for General Burnside
caused all this ammunition be burned, and that OF
more perfect character to be substituted for it.
The defect partially ascertaned last july and the
since that time.
The Balloon Reconnoissance.
OUR NINTH ARMY CORPS CORRESPONDENCE.
NlxTs Army CoRPs,l
OrPosrH FREDERICKSBURG, Va, Jan. 8, 1868. !
IN Ascent Professor Loses Balloon-Eredericksbur
and ne Ba0le Field, Seen from One thousand Feet in
ne Air-Improsenent IN TIE Science Of Army Ballson
ing-kaders in Camp, de-, de-, dc.
had the pleasure today Of going up in balloon
fhteray, not Hguratvey) and Of seeing the vicinity
Fredericksburg battle field from msst favo
rabe, because exalted, point OF view.
To Colonel Teal, Of General Summers STAR am in
dsotsd for favor. Upon his Invitation tho
accent had for several days awaited opportunity
when, wind and weather permitting could together
make the excursion to mid.air A few days ago had
attempted The trip but the careful Professor
Love- who was charge Of the balloon permitted mo to
rise only nf.y sixty feet which altitude tho
breeze suddenly caught tho machine and waf,ed about
N q very uAceremonous manner, much inter-
dict any further progress.
To day however proved very favorable as the aamos
phere comparatively calm Colonel Teal and myself
sought the little In which the balloon stationed
with It's accompanying apparatus OF tanks and
sasometers and where the acrCuauc corps encamped
We met the spot by Professor Lowe himself,
who kindly prepared matters for A. length
ate ehe Rutn thc wing
ampdcation OF the "og" Or my aerial voyage win tell
the story more fully -
hundred hands have hold Of the little basket In which
standing All roady-let her go," comes from
the Professor who experimenting Affairs horseback
The attendants Lift bags Of sand which lie In the
bottom Of the the fingers which clutch the
Of the little disappear the faces OF hun
Ared spectators watch all sidcs and slowly
Easy here--easy there, my men," ugap shouts tho
Professor the attendants a Of tho riaugularly
arranged set Of pullcys pay out" the rope TOO
fast, causing tho balloon to carcen to one
side. The admonshod individuals bear onn
and now slowly grandly rse or, rather the ground
seems 70 sink from Up, up still up. We are out OF
the ravne now and aevel naaral surface Of
the ground.
Two hundred feet! The earth seems to DO all running
together-ai concentrating beneath feet. We are
level with the hills, which dot the scenery
miles about and stand in scaioped relief against
horizon. smart current OF wind strikes The bal
loon sways TO the north and glance the basket
shows considerable deviation from the perpendicular
Five hundred feet We have risen almost insensbly,
and the temperature Of the atmosphere growing colder
should ascend for miles doubt the scnsallo would
be something like that experenced just previous
deceass Of thoee who freeze TO death II is
pleasant dreamy sort OF ccidness. II is not
keenly felt, because the accompanying circumstances
deprive the OF observation. On ground
the thermometer indicates about forty degrees Up here
the temperature be below the freezing point. How
over the scenery is grand forget is cold though
nngers almost numb grasp firmly the little
hoop to which the sonvergng cords that
fastened
One thousand fcetl We have been a this time going
mp, up, til we sensible that our motion has
stopped. The rope all "paycd out" and We stand
suspended In md.sr A geutle cnrrcnt steadily holds
the balloon At small deviation from the point ascent
and three long slender lines only us with the
group Of pgnes who retain earth. What a confused
Of noises from myriads OF camps beneath
There Ia group Of soldiers hcwng down a tree
Each "thndn OF the axe Is plainly heard.
Loud sounds the axe redoubling stroke on stroke
Beyond rs a regiment drilling. How symmetrical seem
Its ranks-how like tho little array Of toys which a
child sets out upos the table hut counting the
rA-ks it is not a regiment after aii-its more-hs
whole brigade. What optical delusion height
and distance have effected. Further an artillery
company going through drill. It's movements seem
like the play Of parcel OF boys hobby hcrses drawing
diminutvs gocars. Tho his nave disappeared and all
level PLAIN beneath us, which the roads look like
yellow ribbons aud the green have become mcs
dow like patches. The little shelter tents have under
gone q wonderful dmuntion and now look like the card
houses OF children. Fredericksburg N like . map be.
fore u.s. with the brisug lines Of earthwors and bat
tercs beyond People and soldiers moving about 10
wndnss through wood aud clearing FOR many miles until
itself to tie southwsrd. The hills river,
or they seem tc u.s. the vast uudulapg surface be
yond the city covered with from the camp res
Of the enemy who be masscd 70 tho south
of tho city than inspection from below would
lead US 20 believe. THIS smoke, together with
peculiar haze, prevents minute view
OF the rebel portion. But now about face in our
little cagc-for such the basket and network seem 10
Tho nnhlc Potomac arects our cyes, with anon a
white san creeping along is unru1cd bosom Can that
be Aqua creek It but step from here vet be
icw they say fourteen miles. We can trace ,hc rail.
road to thai point almost throughout icngtb aud at
,picrvsz tho buynr train stesmng along tho
ron track So We stand drinking with feeling akin
D. ave the scenery every hand Ny soid glass is near
sy but refrain from uring r The picture is 80 grand
NJ abolc that u sscrcgc ssse Tor de,a,lg AZ
well might ono stop 10 view the shape Of rpp,e IN
Church q painting OF the Falls Of Niagara.
Al length the cold atmos phcrc becomes somewhat un
comfortable, and the tips Of fingers, ears aud
noses tinge as " frostbucn. Besdes the breeze has
siinencd the balloon IL ,nstline, and the oag tai
n asprne over our beaSS. 10 time 10 Dc.
hpstd. wave a pocket bVidkerchiS over the
ssae of ho baskct The srpai for M vi %