One of the most famous of the Civil War balloons was made by the Confederacy of donated undergarments of the ladies of the South, all silk and the only source of silk the South had at the time. It was hoped that it would counter the shocking success of Union balloons which were providing airborne intelligence of opposing troop movements that was proving devastating. The southern patchwork balloon only flew once before it was captured by the Union, a disappointment and an afront for which General Longstreet claimed he never found it in his heart to forgive the Union.
(Lifting gases)
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