Pvt. Edmund K. McCord, Co. C, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry, On Preparations for the Campaign

Letter from Second Regiment.

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Arlington Heights,
July 12, 1861.

Friend Cover: – The coast is now clear; all’s well, and I must write you. We are all in good spirits to-day, as we have had a refreshing shower. It has been very warm for 3 or 4 days; in fact, too warm to drill. The prospect of a forward march, with a day or two, “enlivens all.” We have orders from headquarters to be ready to sling our accoutrements at a moment’s warning; thus you will hear soon that a rebels nest is broken up at Fairfax. It may be well for me to remark that we have been strutting about for a day or two with our summer uniform; it is light and durable and is an addition to our comfort one hundred per cent. It appears that Uncle Sam has taken some notice of us, as he has placed General McDowell over our Brigade, and is making ready to pay us up in gold, (not depreciated bills worth 50 or 60 cents on the dollar,) and too will soon give us the U. S. uniform. The uniform first received from Wisconsin is of no use to us now or will not be at the words “forward march,” for it is pronounced by Gen. Scott himself as a facsimile uniform of the Confederate States Army.

We are within 12 miles of Fairfax, where it is reported 4,000 rebels are fortified; yet some of our scouts are somewhat disbelieving. We are between Prof. Lowe’s Balloons, which is a grand sight, and whish we think represents the American Eagle to perfection, which he has a bird’s eye view of the enemy.

The invalids of the regiment were examined yesterday with a view to send home such as we were not constitutionally able to stand the trip. Four of our company were examined and pronounced sound. We want no exaggerations, such as we have received from home about us. Since we started no one has been killed, no one mortally wounded, and not a single fight, not even a fist fight; we are peaceable here. Doubtless when we move we will be one Regiment among 10 as an advance guard, and should we meet of force of 40,000 remember our backing. Our good Captain understands his place as well as we could wish, and thus our company moves off with even (?) with any of rest. Col. Peck is spoken of by the whole Regiment with praise; indeed! we are all proud that we can have so gallant a man as our leader. Hoping that all my friends will consider themselves indebted to me in Grant, wishing all to write, address, Company C, Second Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteers, Washington, D. C., care of J. D. Ruggles, Quarter Master.

Yours truly,
E. K*. McCord

Grant County (Lancaster, WI) Herald, 7/24/1861

Clipping Image

Contributed by John Hennessy

* McCord shows in the roster with middle initial K. He shows in records as Edward K., Edmund K., Edwin K., and Edmund H. His (likely) tombstone reads Edwin Kimball McCord.

2nd Wisconsin Infantry roster

McCord at Ancestry

McCord at Fold3

McCord at FindAGrave

Pvt. William Boardman Reed, Co. C, 2nd Wisconsin Infantry, On Preparations for the Campaign

Letter from a Member of the Grant County Grays.

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We are permitted to publish the following letter from W. B. Reed, of Capt. McKee’s Company:

CAMP PECK, near Arlington Heights,
Fairfax County, Va., July 14, 1861.

Dear Friends: – This is Sunday evening and I have just returned from dress parade, taken off my accoutrements and coat and placed my gun in the corner of the tent, with my belt and cartridge box hung over the muzzle, right where I can lay my hands upon them at any hour of the night. Our parade always come off every evening in the week, and since we have been here we have had our regular battallion and other drills upon the Sabbath about the same as other days. Last evening orders were published at parade which indicate that we are to march toward Manassas in a day or two at the farthest. The orders were relative to our baggage and rations; we are to carry with us our blankets, which are rolled into long, close rolls and sling over our shoulders. Our knapsacks, which must not weigh more than ten lbs., are to be either sent to Alexandria or left here with our tents with a guard of one hundred men. The cooks must be ready to cook three day’s rations whenever the order is given. In fact, this whole army is like a train of cars with the passengers all seated, with full steam up in the engine, the machinery oiled and the whole ready to thunder forward at a slight movement by the engineer. Our engineer is Gen. Winfield Scott; he has been laying his plans for months and now it is evident that he is about to strike the blow, and the rebels must either fight with certain defeat staring them in the face or ignominiously run. If they make a determined stand at Manassas, where it is said that they have extensive fortifications and a force of about eighty thousand men, the battle will necessarily be a bloody one. The result of this battle can hardly be questioned, as we have a much superior force, and it will probably be approached from three sides at once with three large armies. * *

A few days ago we saw a balloon over one of the regiments which is three or four miles in advance of us and apparently at the height of about two hundred feet; it remained but a short time, when it again descended to the earth.

Our regiment is unusually healthy now; when we first came here the men were a good deal troubled with dysentery, but no we have become more used to the climate and water and but few are complaining. I think it is very remarkable that our regiment has not lost a man either by disease or in any other manner since I enlisted; I don’t know that any had died before. The young man who was so severely injured near Harrisburg has since recovered and a few days ago rejoined the regiment. My health is excellent; in fact I never felt better in my life. The other Lancaster boys are well, I believe.

I must hurry to finish this as soon as possible for the roll has already been called and I am expecting to hear the drum tap for lights out. Our mail carrier starts for Washington about 6 o’clock in the morning.

Yours,
W. B. Reed

Grant County (Lancaster, WI) Herald, 7/24/1861

Clipping Image

Contributed by John Hennessy

2nd Wisconsin Infantry roster

William Boardman Reed at Ancestry

William Boardman Reed at Fold3

William Boardman Reed at FindAGrave

William Boardman Reed auction page

William Boardman Reed at Civil War Voices

It Is BALLOON!!!!

Proffesor Lowe’s Balloon at Gaines’s Mill

I received the following press releases from Katie Corbut who represents the Genesee Country Village and Museum. But first I had to ask her: why are they using helium in the balloon when Lowe used hydrogen? The answer is pretty simple: the use of hydrogen would have resulted in prohibitive insurance costs if the museum actually wanted to take passengers aloft. So, helium courtesy of Macy’s Department Stores will be used, and a hand-built hydrogen generator/casing (see the above photo of the real things) will be installed at the permanent balloon exhibit at the museum.

Rides begin July 4 – next Wednesday!

World’s Only Civil War Manned Balloon Takes to the Air in Summer 2012

Genesee Country Village & Museum Constructing One-of-a-Kind Replica; Flights Expected to Begin this July in Western New York

MUMFORD, N.Y., February 2, 2012 – In late 1861, Virginia residents were shocked to see a manned balloon rise on the horizon, directing Union Army artillery against Confederate positions. One hundred and fifty years later, the Intrepid – the first type of aerial vehicle used for combat in the United States – will take flight once again beginning this summer.

Genesee Country Village & Museum (GCV&M; www.gcv.org), one of the country’s preeminent living history attractions, has begun building the world’s only Civil War manned balloon replica, with the intent of offering flights to visitors starting July 4. Rising 400 feet (32 stories) above the 700-acre museum grounds near Rochester, N.Y., the Intrepid will carry up to four passengers at a time in addition to the pilot.

“Our launch of the Intrepid brings to life one of the most unique elements of American history in a manner never before attempted,” said Peter Arnold, chief executive officer and president of GVC&M. “As Civil War remembrances occur across the nation during its 150th anniversary, we believed there was no better time to undertake this initiative. The balloon and the planned Civil War encampment surrounding the launch site further enhance our authentic 19th century village – the third largest collection of historic buildings in America.”

Not only was the Intrepid the predecessor to modern-day military aviation, but it also foreshadowed the future of military reconnaissance communications. The pilot would send intelligence information – troop movements, artillery compensation instructions, and more – to soldiers on the ground via telegraph. Conceived by Professor Thaddeus Lowe, the resulting Union Army Balloon Corps was personally approved by President Abraham Lincoln in June 1861.

“I commend the Genesee Country Village & Museum for taking a lead to insure that the role of the Aeronautic Corps in the Civil War is fully appreciated,” said Tom D. Crouch, Ph.D., senior curator of Aeronautics for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum. “I am certain that your efforts will result in one of the most memorable activities of the 150th anniversary of the conflict.” Dr. Crouch has chosen to serve as an advisor for the project. Originally fueled by hydrogen gas, the Intrepid replica takes to the air via helium. Like the original seven gas balloons used by the Union Army during the Civil War, the Intrepid is tethered to land for optimal convenience and safety.

Visitors will have the opportunity to book 15-minute flights for a nominal cost in addition to their museum entry fee. More details will be released over the course of the coming months.

The Intrepid is being built by AeroBalloon Inc. of Hingham, Mass., with historical guidance from GCV&M, Dr. Crouch, and a team of prominent advisors including Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Rob Shenk, director, Internet Strategy & Development, Civil War Trust.

The initiative’s total estimated cost of nearly $300,000 has been partially offset by a number of generous donations. As construction progresses, GCV&M will continue to seek additional financial support for the project.

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A Macy’s Miracle, Says Museum CEO; Civil War Balloon to Take Flight with Last-Minute Helium Donation

Public Excursions on the Intrepid to Begin July 4 at Genesee Country Village & Museum

MUMFORD, N.Y., June 18 — When the CEO of the Genesee Country Village & Museum (GCV&M; www.gcv.org) set out last year to build and fly the world’s first replica of a Civil War manned balloon – the Intrepid – little did he know his dream could collapse from a nationwide helium shortage. But he also didn’t bargain that one of the country’s most iconic retailers would step forward to deliver a miracle at the last minute, literally raising the project off the ground.

Thanks to the generous support of Macy’s – a brand synonymous with the giant helium-filled balloons that grace Manhattan’s skies every Thanksgiving morning – the Intrepid will begin flying this July 4 outside of Rochester, N.Y. Weather permitting, the balloon will take guests 300 feet (32 stories) into the sky, simulating what some of the world’s first military pilots (a.k.a. aeronauts) experienced 150 years ago.

“We were looking for a miracle. The Museum was seemingly out of options to secure helium after having placed innumerable calls to dealers, government officials and even decommissioned research laboratories across the U.S.,” said Peter Arnold, GCV&M’s CEO and president. “Then we heard from Macy’s, which was able to donate the 50,000 cubic feet we needed. We’re simply ecstatic, as we were within days of having to suspend our opening. ‘The Magic of Macy’s’ has never been more real.”

First announced this past February, the Intrepid project has captured the imagination of families, educators, historians and aviation enthusiasts across North America. Renowned documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and adventure balloonist and Virgin Group Chairman Sir Richard Branson have both praised the historic reconstruction.

“Supporting education is an important aspect of our community giving, made even more relevant in this case since Macy’s was founded during the Civil War era,” said Russell Schutte, senior vice president / director of stores, Macy’s Midwest. “With our unique connection to helium ballooning, we had the opportunity to help Genesee Country Village & Museum fulfill its dream to open this one-of-a-kind, interactive exhibit. The result will benefit not only the people of Western New York, but visitors who will travel from across the U.S. and overseas to experience the wonder and history of flight.”

Featuring its signature giant helium character balloons, the 86th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place on Thursday, November 22.

Conceived by Professor Thaddeus Lowe, the Union Army Balloon Corps was personally approved by President Abraham Lincoln in June 1861. Not only was the Intrepid the predecessor to modern-day military aviation, but it also foreshadowed the future of military reconnaissance communications. The pilot would send intelligence information – troop movements, artillery compensation instructions, and more – to soldiers on the ground via telegraph.

Like the original seven gas balloons used by the Union Army during the Civil War, the Intrepid is tethered to land for optimal convenience and safety. Visitors – up to four at a time – will have the opportunity to take 15-minute flights for a nominal cost in addition to their museum entry fee.

A team of prominent advisors is assisting with the project, including Tom D. Crouch, Ph.D., senior curator of Aeronautics for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum; Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and Rob Shenk, director, Internet Strategy & Development, Civil War Trust.

For more information, visit www.gcv.org or follow the museum on Twitter at @GCVMuseum.

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About the Genesee Country Village & Museum The Genesee Country Village & Museum helps visitors understand the lives and times of 19th-century America through interactive programs, events and exhibits. It is the largest and most comprehensive living history museum in New York State and maintains the third largest collection of historic buildings in the United States. The 700-acre complex consists of 68 historic structures furnished with 15,000 artifacts to provide an authentic 19th-century environment in which visitors can interact with knowledgeable, third-person historic interpreters in period-appropriate dress. For more information, please visit www.gcv.org.

Media Contacts:

Peter Arnold, Genesee Country Village & Museum parnold@gcv.org or 585.538.6822

Mike McDougall, McDougall Travers Collins mmcdougall@mcdougalltc.com or 585.789.1623

Katie Corbut, McDougall Travers Collins kcorbut@traverscollins.com or 716.464.4713

Andrea Schwartz, Macy’s, Inc. andrea.schwartz@macys.com or 312-399-8934