The use of balloons in battle previous the Civil War was scarce and many found little benefit to their usage. This perspective was left unchanged until the Civil War was commenced. The Union Soldiers used balloons for several different purposes that were not thought of, including aerial surveillance and communications. Even though some military officers did not approve of the balloons and found their mistakes as failures, many found them very useful during battle. Balloons gave those who used them a great advantage in the sense that they were relatively easy to transport from one location to another through the use of horses, barges, and other methods of transportation. The usage of hydrogen in the balloons increased the risk of accident by
…show more content…
In the beginning stages of the Civil War the balloons were still proving their benefits. Many military generals were unfamiliar with the strategy and were skeptical of it’s benefits on the battlefield. Balloons had several benefits during the battles throughout the war as the high vantage point allowed the aeronaut, the person manning the balloon, to seek out certain aspects of the enemy military including size, artillery, and strategies. This ability see what the enemy is planning is essential as a key part to winning the war is to know what the enemy is doing. The information allows for strategic changes that the generals could utilize in order to counter or adapt to the enemy’s strategy. An example of the beneficial nature of the balloon force is “Balloon observations of …show more content…
Some of the mistakes that were made were viewed as failures. Although there were generals who did not find the balloons useful, there were plenty that did and found many different uses for them. Balloons were commonly used for reconnaissance and allowed generals to understand the enemy army’s strategy and assist in the decisions that were needed to be made as a result. Military generals often saw the balloons as a new advancement in military technology allowing for better understanding of enemy whereabouts. Military planners often saw the benefits, for example, "...saw the potential for balloons as tools with which to gather intelligence about the enemy. The French used the balloons effectively during the french revolution when they fought against Austria in the 1790's. Balloonists observed troop movement, estimated troop strength, and reported to commanders on the ground about battlefield happenings as they occurred " (Mountjoy). This quote exemplifies the belief in which many military planners and generals thought of the balloons and how they could be utilized properly. Balloons were understood to be an advantage by many, but a few did not want to believe in their
In the beginning stages of the Civil War the balloons were still proving their benefits. Many military generals were unfamiliar with the strategy and were skeptical of it’s benefits on the battlefield. Balloons had several benefits during the battles throughout the war as the high vantage point allowed the aeronaut, the person manning the balloon, to seek out certain aspects of the enemy military including size, artillery, and strategies. This ability see what the enemy is planning is essential as a key part to winning the war is to know what the enemy is doing. The information allows for strategic changes that the generals could utilize in order to counter or adapt to the enemy’s strategy. An example of the beneficial nature of the balloon force is “Balloon observations of …show more content…
Some of the mistakes that were made were viewed as failures. Although there were generals who did not find the balloons useful, there were plenty that did and found many different uses for them. Balloons were commonly used for reconnaissance and allowed generals to understand the enemy army’s strategy and assist in the decisions that were needed to be made as a result. Military generals often saw the balloons as a new advancement in military technology allowing for better understanding of enemy whereabouts. Military planners often saw the benefits, for example, "...saw the potential for balloons as tools with which to gather intelligence about the enemy. The French used the balloons effectively during the french revolution when they fought against Austria in the 1790's. Balloonists observed troop movement, estimated troop strength, and reported to commanders on the ground about battlefield happenings as they occurred " (Mountjoy). This quote exemplifies the belief in which many military planners and generals thought of the balloons and how they could be utilized properly. Balloons were understood to be an advantage by many, but a few did not want to believe in their