Observation balloon wreck
- Thread starter Frankn
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I think on Canvas ?
it's a painting isn't it ?
it's a painting isn't it ?
actually maybe THE WRECK OF THE "GÉANT." but just going by some similarity
Wonderful Balloon Ascents/Part 2/Chapter 9 - Wikisource, the free online library
Wonderful Balloon Ascents/Part 2/Chapter 9 - Wikisource, the free online library
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Frankn
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Jeff, I think this one is smaller. It is suppose to be a Civil War observation balloon. It was listed as a photograph made by a French photographer in 1863 I had to touch it up quite a bit. The contrast was so hard it almost looked like a drawing. I pulled it from the National Archives. Frank
surf
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Hello Frankn,
Here's some historic supposing on the subject: Civil War « Notes on the History of Randolph County, NC
And then there's this: Civil War Ballooning
Here's some historic supposing on the subject: Civil War « Notes on the History of Randolph County, NC
And then there's this: Civil War Ballooning
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surf
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Thanks, Frankn,
I don't believe it was helium. If you google Thaddeus Lowe, there's some great aeronaut history to be found.
L.C. BAKER
Silver Member
I was wondering about the C.S.A. Balloon corp. and found this.
The South had two balloons and both were captured by Union forces. Since the Confederacy could only get hydrogen in Richmond due to the limited availability of sulfuric acid, their balloons had to be fueled there and moved to the battlefield. Confederate balloons were mostly filled with coal gas that only allowed about three hours stay time. To get to the Lower Peninsula they moved down the York Railroad on a flatcar. Then transferred to the steam barge CSS Teaser and moved further south until reaching the launch point. The barge ran aground in the James River during low tide and the balloon was captured by the crew of the USS Maratanza on 4 July 1862. The other balloon was captured in Charleston when the city was taken and the balloon material was divided up as souvenirs of the US Congress.
The honor for the first successful military flight goes to Confederate Captain John R. “Balloon” Bryan on 13 April 1862 in observing dispositions at Yorktown.
One of the ballons was named “Gazelle”. Both balloons were referred to as “Silk Dress Balloons” or the “Lady Davis” because they were made from dress makers silk, however, no southern ladies ever gave up there wardrobe for the cause!! The Gazelle was clearly visable during the Battle of Gaines’ Mill.
An interesting side point involves Count Ferdinand Von Zeppelin, the famous WWI airship namesake. No, he did not come to the U.S. to observe balloon operations. He served with Federal cavalry units in Northern Virginia. At the end of his visit, he wanted to see some more of the country. He travelled to New York City, up the Hudson, across the state on the Erie Canal, across the Great Lakes and out into Minnesota, where he met John Steiner, who had returned to his pre-war profession as an exhibition balloonist. Zeppelin flew with him and listened to his dreams of a navigable airship. Many years later the Count explained that the experience with Steiner had marked the beginning of his own interest in flight.
The South had two balloons and both were captured by Union forces. Since the Confederacy could only get hydrogen in Richmond due to the limited availability of sulfuric acid, their balloons had to be fueled there and moved to the battlefield. Confederate balloons were mostly filled with coal gas that only allowed about three hours stay time. To get to the Lower Peninsula they moved down the York Railroad on a flatcar. Then transferred to the steam barge CSS Teaser and moved further south until reaching the launch point. The barge ran aground in the James River during low tide and the balloon was captured by the crew of the USS Maratanza on 4 July 1862. The other balloon was captured in Charleston when the city was taken and the balloon material was divided up as souvenirs of the US Congress.
The honor for the first successful military flight goes to Confederate Captain John R. “Balloon” Bryan on 13 April 1862 in observing dispositions at Yorktown.
One of the ballons was named “Gazelle”. Both balloons were referred to as “Silk Dress Balloons” or the “Lady Davis” because they were made from dress makers silk, however, no southern ladies ever gave up there wardrobe for the cause!! The Gazelle was clearly visable during the Battle of Gaines’ Mill.
An interesting side point involves Count Ferdinand Von Zeppelin, the famous WWI airship namesake. No, he did not come to the U.S. to observe balloon operations. He served with Federal cavalry units in Northern Virginia. At the end of his visit, he wanted to see some more of the country. He travelled to New York City, up the Hudson, across the state on the Erie Canal, across the Great Lakes and out into Minnesota, where he met John Steiner, who had returned to his pre-war profession as an exhibition balloonist. Zeppelin flew with him and listened to his dreams of a navigable airship. Many years later the Count explained that the experience with Steiner had marked the beginning of his own interest in flight.
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