Today in History–February 8–the Library of Congress celebrates the birth of writer Jules Verne, born on this date in 1828, by featuring air balloons and airships. Around the time Verne’s first book–Five Weeks in a Balloon–came out in 1863, the U.S. Army was using hydrogen gas balloons in Civil War reconnaissance missions. See what you can learn about air balloons and airships by visiting the Today in History section and clicking the links below. You might also be interested in this 1907 silent film: A little “Jules Verne”.
Topics in Chronicling America – Civil War Ballooning (1861-1864)
The Aeronauts: technology during the Civil War
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