Lecture: Civil War Balloons

Civil War Balloons
Saturday, June 27 at 2:00 p.m. at the Isle of Wight County Museum, 103 Main Street in downtown Smithfield
Join us for this informative lecture by Kevin Knapp as he portrays Thaddeus Lowe to discuss balloons during the Civil War. Balloons were used for surveillance and reconnaissance during the Civil War by the Union Army from 1861 through 1863 and by Confederate Army in 1862. The North made over 3,000 ascensions with seven balloons and the South made less than 10 ascensions with two. In this presentation you will learn about the first air to ground telegraph, the first field hydrogen generators, the first air directed artillery fire, the first air craft carrier, the first time two opposing forces had aircraft in the air at the same time and the beginning of U.S. Military Aviation. ​
For further information call 757.356.1223.