General News: Lecture on Civil War Aeronautics
January 04, 2013
On Monday, January 7th, the public is invited to Cornwall Public Library to hear Major Joseph C. Scott, an instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point and Civil War historian, give a presentation entitled: “Civil War Aeronautics: The Use of Balloons”. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the library’s community room.
The use of balloons by the Union Army during the Civil War was spearheaded in particular by “Professor” Thaddeus Lowe. Initial efforts were met with a mix of skepticism and unrealistic enthusiasm, but Lowe and his associates mixed persistence and ingenuity to earn the support of key Union political and military figures. The balloonists participated in several critical campaigns during the American Civil War, and demonstrated the potential of aerial reconnaissance. Ultimately, however, the technical limitations of 19th-century balloons, the unique status of the aeronauts themselves, and the gradual removal of their supporters from positions of authority undermined their ability to play a decisive role and led to the end of the Union Balloon Corps in 1863.
This will be Maj. Scott’s second presentation at Cornwall Library and is the sixth event in the Civil War Sesquicentennial Lecture Series. Last June he spoke on the topic of “The Peninsula Campaign”. Registration is not required. Contact the library with any questions, at 534-8282.
395 Hudson Street
Cornwall, NY 12518
Phone 845-534-8282
Fax 845-534-3827
www.cornwallpubliclibrary.org
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