American Civil War

From OnAirpower.org

American Civil War

Remarks: The American Civil War marked the first, albeit limited, use of military airpower by the US, primarily in the form of hydrogen-filled observation balloons employed by the Union Army, and including notable American aviation firsts such as transmission of an air-to-ground telegram, launching a balloon from a naval vessel, and the use of camouflage and deception to counter aerial reconnaissance.

The American Civil War (1861-1865) was fought between the northern "Union" states and the secessionist "Confederate" Southern states. The war saw limited use of airpower, primarily in the form of hydrogen-filled observation balloons employed briefly by the Union army.

[edit] Sources

• Gas Balloons: View From Above the Civil War Battlefield

• War of the Aeronauts

• Wikipedia entry for Union Army Balloon Corps

• Balloons with the Army of the Potomac  at civilwarhome.com

• Professor Thaddeus Lowe's Official Report of Balloon Operations during the War, Part I  at civilwarhome.com

• Professor Thaddeus Lowe's Official Report of Balloon Operations during the War, Part II  at civilwarhome.com

• Fitz John Porter Views The Confederates From A Balloon

• Intelligence in the Civil War  at cia.gov