As soon as Professor Lowe's balloon soars above the top of the trees the
Confederate batteries will open upon him, and for the next few moments
shells and bullets from the shrapnels will be bursting and whistling about
his ears. Then he will pass out of the danger-zone to an altitude beyond
the reach of the Confederate artillery. After the evacuation of Yorktown,
May 4, 1862, Professor Lowe, who had been making daily observations from
his balloon, followed McClellan's divisions, which was to meet Longstreet
next day at Williamsburg. On reaching the fortifications of the abandoned
city, Lowe directed the men who were towing the still inflated balloon in
which he was riding to scale the corner of the fort nearest to his old
camp, where the last gun had been fired the night before. This fort had
devoted a great deal of effort to attempting to damage the too inquisitive
balloon, and a short time previously one of the best Confederate guns had
burst, owing to over-charging and too great an elevation to reach the high
altitude. The balloonist had witnessed the explosion and a number of
gunners had been killed and wounded within his sight. His present visit
was in order to touch and examine the pieces and bid farewell to what he
then looked upon as a departed friend. This is indicated as the same gun
on page 371.
[Illustration: THE PHOTOGRAPH THE BALLOONIST RECOGNIZED FORTY-EIGHT YEARS
AFTER