The Battle of Mechanicsville and the first “Air Force”

June 26 & 27, 1862
What had started 25 days earlier in the bloody conflict at Seven Pines/Fair Oaks (featured, Fortuna Civil War Days 2002) was coming to a head by the latter part of June 1862. Newly appointed General of the Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee faced a mounting Union force that threatened to put the Confederate capital, Richmond under siege. Meanwhile, the Union army under General George McClellan had forces massing near the Chickahominy River at the small town of Mechanicsville and nearby Beaver Dam Creek. McClellan was within 15 miles of the Confederate capital, but also 15 miles from the strongest concentration of Lee’s forces. About 60,000 men surrounded Richmond, compared to Union forces of just 35,000. Lee ordered an attack of the Federal forces by men under Generals Longstreet, A.P. Hill, Jackson and D.H. Hill to start early the morning of June 26. After delays, A.P. Hill’s corps met divisions under U.S. General Fitz John Porter at Mechanicsville at 3 p.m. They were joined by D.H. Hill and Longstreet late in the day. At 9 p.m. the battle that had begun tentatively ended with what both sides agreed was heavy losses on the Confederate side. Although the US kept most of its ground and lost less than 400 men to the CSA’s 1483, McClellan ordered his forces to fall back to nearby Gaines’ Mill, which was deemed easier to defend. The following day the battle reformed near Gaines’ Mill. The Seven Days Campaign was underway and would end up being an unfortunate seven days for both sides. The combat through marshland and forest at Gaines’ Mill gave the Confederates heavy losses and started the pattern of retreat for the Union that wouldn’t stop until they were 20 miles from where they started.

 “Aeronauts” Over the Field of Battle
A strange new form of reconnaissance was just reaching full use at Mechanicsville in the weeks and days leading to the battle. Under the guidance of Professor Thaddeus S.C. Lowe, a small ‘air force’ of four hydrogen-filled balloons and “aeronaut” pilots sighted enemy positions and the lay of the countryside for the Union forces. The professor was the head aeronaut himself and ascended daily, either alone or with officers, telegraphers and draftsmen. The head of forces on the ground near Mechanicsville, General Fitz John Porter often went up with Lowe on the 1000-plus foot ascensions. Early in the war, Professor T.S.C. Lowe approached the government about using his balloons for military purposes. At first, there was little interest in this new technology. Until, that is, Lowe was allowed to experiment in Washington and send a telegram to President Lincoln’s office from 1000 feet in the heavens. From then on, Lowe was given leave to construct and use balloons at the service of the US Army. It did not take long for officers to latch onto the value of sighting enemy forces from the air. The balloons, and the insight they offered, were envied by Confederate forces. An ingenious Southern inventor suggested that all the silk dresses in the confederacy be collected to build a patchwork balloon that could be filled with coal gas in Richmond and towed to where it was needed. This was done, and the first and only Confederate balloon saw action in Mechanicsville and during the rest of the Seven Days Battles. It was lost while on a steamer on the James River and eventually captured by the Federal forces.

There will be a balloon and aeronaut at the 2003 Fortuna Civil War Days.