Man, Moment, Machine: Lincoln and the Flying Spying Machine

Though seldom discussed or acknowledged in history books, an odd event transpired on May 31, 1862 that foreshadowed centuries of military aviation. That evening, as volleys of Civil War gunfire cascaded across the battlefield of Fair Oaks, Virginia (the Confederate capital), a hydrogen balloon suddenly ascended above the troops, enabling the Union Army to cleverly survey the battlefield and turn the tide of the entire struggle. In this History Channel-produced documentary, experts reflect at length on the pivotal historical role of this vehicle, invented by no less than President Abraham Lincoln and equipped with a telegraph that enabled occupants to directly report on what they witnessed. The program intercuts dramatic reenactments, telling interviews and archival materials to tell this astonishing story.