<text id=00he0103><title>Ascent Over Arlington</title>
<history>US Air Force: Events History</history>
<article><hdr>Ascent Over Arlington</hdr><body>
<p>Wise managed a first successful ascent on 24 July, at Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac from Washington. He saw some Confederate artillery about 5 miles (8 km) distant, and spotted rebel reconnaissance parties out in front of the Union positions.
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<p>The following morning, while moving the inflated balloon from Arlington toward Ball's Cross Roads, the wind again ruined Wise's day. The handling lines were worn through by constant chafing against the telegraph wires along the route, and the balloon broke loose, heading south. It was brought down by gunfire from soldiers at Arlington, and landed in a pathetic pile of tangled cordage and torn cloth near General Robert E. Lee's former home.
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<p>Wise urged the Army to buy transportable hydrogen generators, because moving an inflated balloon around the countryside was not practical. The suggestion was referred to a major with whom Wise had exchanged bitter words. The major killed the recommendation, and Wise resigned in frustration.
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<p>Enter John La Mountain, once an associate of Wise and partner with him in an attempted crossing of the Atlantic by balloon. He volunteered, twice, but no response came from the War Department. Instead, Gen. Butler, from his headquarters at Fortress Monroe, wrote and offered a job as an aerial observer. Butler's position on the coast of southern Virginia by Hampton Roads made him vulnerable to both land and sea assaults. He was receiving intelligence reports of enemy movements, but was unable to confirm any of them. Butler believed that balloon observations would help his situation.
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<p>La Mountain arrived at the site, unloaded his balloon, and made his first ascent on 25 July 1861. Between then and 10 August, he was aloft six times and filed detailed reports of each trip. He made a few errors and omissions, but the bulk of his reporting was accurate. More important, it was timely. He estimated troop numbers by counting tents and huts, and discovered some units not known to be in the area.
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<p>He was innovative: he attached one of his balloons to a windlass at the stern of an armed transport named 'Fanny', and on 3 August ascended to 2,000 ft (609 m) to discover some previously undetected Confederate artillery. It was in a position to shell the Fortress and the Union ships that lay in, or moved through, the roads.
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<p>10 August was one of his most productive days. La Mountain went aloft five times, once as high as 3,500 ft (1,067 m), and including one night ascent. He made his first sketch in the air, instead of just taking notes. He discovered a rebel force of about 5,000 men to the northwest, another strong force to the northeast of the Fortress, and spotted two large men-of-war anchored off Norfolk. His sketch was copied, and Butler forwarded it and La Mountain's reconnaissance report to General Winfield Scott, commander of the Union armies.
