Ballooning: A History, 1782–1900

304 Pages·2010·48.943 MB·English

by  S. L. Kotar, J. E. Gessler

BALLOONING
ALSOBY
S.L. KOTARANDJ.E. GESSLER
The Steamboat Era: A History of Fulton’s Folly
on American Rivers, 1807–1860
(McFarland, 2009)
BALLOONING
A History, 1782–1900
S.L. Kotar and J.E. Gessler
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Kotar, S.L.
Ballooning : a history, 1782–1900 /
S.L. Kotar and J.E. Gessler.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-4941-5
softcover : 50# alkaline paper
1. Hot air balloons—History—19th century.
2. Ballooning—History—19th century.
I. Gessler, J.E. II. Title.
TL616.K68 2011 797.5'109034—dc22 2010040878
BRITISHLIBRARYCATALOGUINGDATAAREAVAILABLE
©2011S.L. Kotar and J.E. Gessler. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
On the cover: lithograph of a balloon over Paris
on June 6, 1874 (Tissandier Collection, Library of Congress)
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
To be a truly successful aeronaut, an individual had to have courage,
skill, a craftsman’s knowledge and perhaps more than anything else, a
burning desire to succeed. Part conjurer, part sportsman, the balloonist
was involved in every aspect of the performance, always keeping one
step ahead of the game. In that respect, it is not too far removed from
being a baseball manager. With that in mind, we respectfully dedicate
our book to Dorrel Norman Elvert “Whitey” Herzog, Baseball Hall
of Fame 2010.
We would like to express our appreciation to Brian Pearce of
Red Jacket Press for scanning our illustrations.
Table of Contents
Preface 1
1. 1782—In the Beginning: A Voador, a Cock, a Duck and a Sheep 7
2. 1783—Monsters and Aeronauts 13
3. 1784—Big Ascensions 21
4. Rowing with Wings and Other Oddities 27
5. A Reservation for Hope 34
6. Don Quixote de la Manche 41
7. Destinies Played Out 47
8. Balloons at War 53
9. Playing Catch-up 58
10. The Sad Tale of Francis Barrett and the Great English Balloon 62
11. The Skies Belong to Garnerin 68
12. James Sadler and the Real Great English Balloon 76
13. The Women of Aerostation 80
14. (Mostly) Magnificent Balloon Ascensions: 1812–1819 89
15. For the World Is Green and I Have Touched the Sky 95
16. Candidates for Aeronautical Distinction 101
17. Mr. Harris and Miss Stocks: The Journey Unforeseen 108
18. The Aftermath and Beyond 115
19. The Case of the Pastry Cook and a Great Tragedy 121
20. An Astonishing Resurrection 126
21. Notwithstanding, Notwithstanding, Notwithstanding... 132
22. Ballooning in the Americas 141
23. The Europeans Continue to Make Headlines 152
24. American Barnstormers and E.A. Poe’s Great Hoax 156
25. All Balloons, Great and Small 166
26. More News from the Continent 175
27. “No Preventing Providence” 183
vii
viii Table of Contents
28. “A Little Relief from the Ordinary Cares of Life” 189
29. Crossing the Atlantic—Or Not 198
30. Higher Than Anyone Had Gone Before 209
31. Great Plans, Tragedies and a Civil War 212
32. Civilian Ballooning During and After the Civil War 217
33. Of Songs, Circuses and “No-Goes” 226
34. The “Impossibility” of Aerial Navigation 236
35. News That Shocked the World 239
36. Seekers After the Philosopher’s Stone 246
37. “Paddy-Whacks” but “No Balloon Rackets!” 252
38. Flying Too High 259
39. “A Ridiculous ‘Flunk’” 264
Appendix: Glossary 273
Chapter Notes 275
Bibliography 289
Index 291
Preface
We must speak of the ascent once more; It was the most beautiful. Instead of the
struggle and violent sweeps which generally follow on cutting the ropes, its progress
upward was calm and slow, and grand. As it rose the sun shone out, and a broad
gleam of light fell upon its “gorgeous blazonry.” There was scarcely an idea of terror
in its grand motion: it moved as if at the touch of an enchanter, like MILTON’S
Palace, with its music, and its magic, and its multitude:
“Anon, out of the earth, a fabric huge
Rose like an exhalation, with the sound
Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet.”1
In the beginning, we never dreamed how utterly compelling a story on aerostation
could be. The concept started with one article from the early 1800s that described in vivid
detail the ascension of a hot-air balloon. Curiosity piqued, we began searching the archives
for more, never dreaming we would find a pathway to an immense phenomenon that con-
sumed the people of the late 18th and 19th centuries.
Tracing the roots of ballooning back through the pages of old, blurry and at times
illegible newspaper print, the story quickly assumed a life of its own. We became enmeshed
in the techniques of how balloons were constructed, the type of gas used; figuratively bump-
ing shoulders with the multitudes assembled to watch the rise of a manmade globe; held
our breath as the frail structure was blown against a chimney or carried out to sea. Seeking
more in-depth knowledge, we studied the backgrounds of those who shared from the sky
the very earliest glimpses of our world in miniature.
French aeronauts were the first to challenge the realm of gods and winged creatures;
in a time span nearly as fast as the flap of a wing, the awe and fascination spread to England,
Italy, America and around the globe. With national pride nearly as great a driving force as
wonder and adventure, each country claimed to have the bravest aeronauts, the largest
aerostats, the fastest machines.
Mankind literally rose to the challenge as they pushed beyond their limits. Some suc-
ceeded in breaking newer and greater barriers. Some died horrible and tragic deaths, but
others took their places. It did not take long for balloons to accompany armies in the field,
those on the sidelines either lauding the new methods of reconnaissance and dropping incen-
diary bombs on unsuspecting enemies or decrying the barbarism which quickly brought
armed conflict to a new and dangerous level.
Balloons and balloonists were present at peace conferences, performing their aerostatic
arts as a respite for the royalty and nobility assembled to rewrite the regulations for post–
1