The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-11
ny CAPTAIN !. RANDOLPH bryan
In the nlrminnhnm News.

In the birmingham News.
In thcsc modern days, when p.acti
cally every man, woniai; and child III
Richmond has witnessed the flights OF
the wonderful Wright asropIane, which
gave exhibitions during me recent state
or people have read OF the tests being
made with air craft b. the NAr De
pastment from the decks of our mighty
warships. story or the personal ex-
perlcnccs OF Captain Randolph Bryan
OF Birmingham. VIII 10 OF great In
tereat. for Captain Bryan was the only
aoronaut OF the Confederate Army, spJ
risked lltB life several times In an old
bag OF a balloon. blown UP with smoke
and tied TO the ground with rope. In
order that he might observe the move
ments OF the reScral troops
II Is interesting to preface this ae-
count by calling attention 20 the tact
that Captain Bran wont up IN pal
loon 10 observe the movements oil Fed
eral troops long before any ascensions
had been made by General lfltz John
Porter. OF tho Union Army. The bal.
loon used by the Union aerial scout
was OF mueh finer texture .han tho
Confed.ratcs could AFFORD, and WAS tied
with silkcn rope. II should he furth-
or noted that tho balloon ussd b. Cap
tain Bryan was made with Single
bag, ana was not fitted up with NUM-
her OF naliocncttes. as tacy are In thia
day and time The effect of the bal
loon without balloonsttes was that
ono well-almcd shot would bring tho
whole balloon speedily 10 the earth
resulting IN The instant death OF the
eeroraut.
Captain Bryan's story.
The story is given as told BY Cap
tain Bryan:
was a Young man at the time tae
events here mentioned traaspirea, and
was serving ss clcrk IL the adjutaIlt-
generals office and acting as aide
de-camp TO Major.Geuerai ] 3. Ma
Esnder. then commanding the Army OF
the Peninsula, near Yorktown, va In
tho spring Of 1861 VIXEN General Nc
cleIlan. OF the Union Army, decided TO
make his advance on Richmond by the
Peninsula route. with his two hanks
guarded by sunbosts, nc found cen
eral Masruder intrenched across tRe
Peninsula a. Yorktown from the YORK
to the James Eiycrs.
Hardly had Mcclellan MADE ms ap
oearaucc when General Johnston. with
Tho Army OF Northern Virginia, came
10 tho relief OF Masruder, Who with
but a few thousand men, was hoidlns
the Union army In check. Ihe lihe
scross the Peninsula was an irregular
me being made to follow the contour
III some streams and mill dams, which
greatly strengthened their positions.
Magruders Headquarters were az ofk-
town while Joseph IL. Johnston tooS
i'm his headquarters at Major Lees
house dee Hall). near the James
rIver somo few miles farther along
,,ho line of Notifications from YORK
River.
General Johnston had brought down
Sith him from Richmond what ! be-
lteye 10 be the first and only balloon
used by tho Confcdcrates for mlltatS
service during the war 1t was nothihs
but a big cotton bag, coated over SO hs'
TO make 1t straight, and INTENDED 10
beSinfatcd with hot air. as sas was !.
thing not TO hc had In thusc Gays anu
IN those placas After being on the pcIi-
Ursula for some days. General JOINS
,on wrote to General Aiagruder, re-
.nuesttne him TO detail some one VIZ
was thoroughly acquainted WIN INC
rountry. and who was capable OF form
inr- a correct opinion az to the num-
berS and character of tho troops IN
front Of him, III order that 10 mSht
be assigned to do duty Win Iehers,i
Johnston. Tho order, coming from
General .Tohnston's Headquarters, pass.
ed through my hands, as was c til
clerk to Maeruder's adlutant erai
Office, and being young. and OF a daIe-
devil spirit and supposing that an as =
signment TO this duty would prlhs me
prominently into notice, and probably
otrer some opportunity for distinguish
inr myself, lat once asked that \
might no detailed for this service. or,
since childhood had been thorousnty
familiar with all that section OF the
country. and felt myself competent as
10 the other requirements.
Asked Tor the Detail.
"AIaior snry Bryan, Magruder's
adjutant general. strongly dissuaded
me from the Undertaking, but J was i
70 bent on 1t that ! went III person to |
General Magruder and Askod Tor the
detail, which, after some little per-
suasion on my part was granted 20
me. although my friends told me that
It was more than likely that J would
get myself into hot water ana very
possibly Tin case should so into the !
enemys linas) that would set shot
for my pains. s
II Nevertheless, joyfully received my
orders, and hunting my horse rode /
Eaily over to Lee Hail. where Gem
eral Johnston was to report myself /
Tor special service, surprising " was
to bo scouting expedition On arr,
irving there handed my orders IN 70.
the proper officer, and reported for
duty.
After while i was called into Cen
sral Johnston's tent, and tho general,
hooking at me. and seeming SURPRISED /
that was only a boy (ror was just
twenty-one years ODD began to ques-5
tion me quite closely as to what or
perienco I had had In military affairs.t|
How long I had beon with the army,
whether i could distinguish one branch
of service from another, and the like,
Having answered these questions To
Memorial 40 hnston's satisfaction, the
1atter laid IN Slllap OF the Eeninspla on