Units_Balloon

Balloons had been used for observation since 1790 , but not until the Civil War would they be used for military purposes.

Professor Thaddeus Lowe created the first “Air force “ when he launched his air balloons during the war. This small air corps began with five balloons and reached its peak strength of seven balloons in 1862.

The primary use of these balloons was in military intelligence. The pilots , or aeronauts as they were called, would take the balloons to there maximum height and from there observe any enemy movements that could not be seen from the ground . This information was then signaled by flag or in later years telegraphed to the commanding general of the army.

The balloon corps proved its worth on many occasions but was for some reason disbanded in 1863.