Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-17

shooting at the Balloon with Long Range
! Rifies-Light ARTILLERY. Shot and she'll
Gen. Fit1 John Portsr's Trip-An At
tempt.
A matter which greatly exercised the
CGnfederates during the early part OF the
war was the use of balloons by the Fed
erals to spy at our position At York
town, where almost daily ascensions were
made, our camps, batteries, field works
and all defenses were plain 10 The vision
Of the occupants Of the balloon, and It
was also quite easy TO form q reliable esti-
mate Of our numbers.
These balloon ascensions excited US
more than all the outpost attacks, and il
was officially determined to put
stop to them at whatever cost The
longest range rifles in the south were sent
for, and they were put into the hands
Of Contederates noted for their marks-
manship, but although the balloon
seemed to be within easy range, it was too
far away for any rifle to do execution from
our outposts. Light artillery was then
brought into play, using 10th shot aud
she'll, but somehow the target could not
be struck We finally opened upon it
with any and every piece OF ordnance
which could be brought TO bear, but while
we threw shot far beyond it, and sppar-
emily close to it, We could not even
frighten the men in the basket Between
our outposts and those OF the Federal was
half mile of neutral territory. One
ark night thirty-five Confederate sharp
shooters, each armed with the heaviest
rifle known To our southern hunters, Were
-
ground as possible, find hiding places, and
to open on the balloon next morning The
result was disastrous to US. Ten OF the
men were captured before the balloon as
cended, and the rest Of us had hardly
opened fire when a heavy force hunted US
out and killed or captured all but six
Rewards were then offered for the des-
truction OF the balloon in the
Federal camp, and WAS one
of five who undertook the task.
] WIS promised 1900 in gold and
as second lieutenant if suo-
ceeded, and presume the same promise
was made to the others. We left separ-
ately and by different routes, each one be-
ing told TO make arrangements to suit
himself. was nearly thirty-six hours
getting in the rear of the Federal army,
and when l entered the camps 1t was as a
peddler of tobacco and notions, who would
have been in the ranks, but for his lame
hess
FITZ JOHN PoRFERs TRIP.
1t was nearly week after left the
Confederate camp before | reached the vi
cinlty where Lowe made his ascensions,
and 1t was then to discover that the great /
est precautions We're taken to guard
against what l had been sent to effect !
were stationed about the place /
IN such number that II was useless TO |
hope that | might pass them, and what /
made the matter worse was the fact that |
Two OF our spies had been captured and
held on suspicion. Nothing out nre would
answer our purpose. Rents could DO
mended and holes patched, and while u
was likely that balloon could be made
IN a couple of weeks, the interval would |
permit the Confederates To make many |
changes
On the day that fitz John Porter MADE |
als ascension and the rope broke and
lei the balloon noat away, was WITHIN
rife shot OF the ascension As he noated
away over our camp II seemed as II accl-
dent had sealed the late OF the balloon
and given US distinguished prisoner.
Dut change OF WIND occurred and DdCK