Synopses & Reviews
On June 1, 1862, Thaddeus Lowe floated above a fierce Civil War battle in a silk hydrogen balloon. From the wicker basket dangling a thousand feet above ground, he telegraphed a message to Northern generals on the ground: Union troops were finally driving back the Confederate forces. Lowe's message was transmitted to the War Department in Washington, where President Abraham Lincoln read his flying spy's good news with relief. For two years during the Civil War, a corps of balloonists led by Thaddeus Lowe spied on the Confederate army. They counted rebel soldiers, detected troop movement, and directed artillery fire against enemy positions. Lowe and his aeronauts provide valuable intelligence to the Union army, even after the balloons became targets of Confederate shooters and saboteurs. Using Civil War photographs and primary sourcesincluding Lowe's papers in the Library of Congress and the writings of Confederate and Union soldiersJarrow reveals the dangers, personality clashes, and other challenges faced by the nation's first air force in this Voice of Youth Advocates Nonfiction Honor List book.
Review
"Engaging. . . . [Offers] readers rich insight into a little-known dimension of the Civil War. (timeline, source notes, bibliography, further reading and websites, index)" --Kirkus Reviews
Review
"A solid introduction to an intriguing aspect of Civil War history." --Booklist
Review
"Forgotten bits of history often make the most interesting stories, as is the case with this account. . . . Filled with rare photographs and drawings, and embellished with highlights of both famous and less well known people and events of the period, this
Review
andquot;Forgotten bits of history often make the most interesting stories, as is the case with this account. . . . Filled with rare photographs and drawings, and embellished with highlights of both famous and less well known people and events of the period, this book will tie in seamlessly with readings and discussions about the Civil War while also leading readers to new insights and paths of inquiry.andquot; --Library Media Connection
Synopsis
On June 1, 1862, Thaddeus Lowe floated a thousand feet above a fierce Civil War battle raging just outside the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. From the wicker basket dangling under his silk hydrogen balloon, the aeronaut telegraphed a message to Northern generals on the ground: Union troops were finally driving back the Confederate forces. Lowes message was transmitted to the War Department in Washington a hundred miles away, where President Abraham Lincoln read his flying spys good news with relief.
About the Author
Gail Jarrow is the author of Robert H. Jackson: New Deal Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Nuremberg Prosecutor and The Printer's Trail: The Case of John Peter Zenger and the Fight for a Free Press, as well as other award-winning books for children and young adults. Her articles and stories have appeared in various children's magazines, including Highlights for Children, Cricket, Muse, Spider, Cobblestone, and Faces.