Jubal Early to Raphael Semmes about being offered a flying machine that can bomb northern cities - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC00610
From Archive Folder	Documents Relating to the 1870s
Title	Jubal Early to Raphael Semmes about being offered a flying machine that can bomb northern cities
Date	29 August 1873
Author	Early, Jubal A. (1816-1894)
Recipient	Semmes, Raphael
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Early, a former lieutenant general in the Confederate Army, writes to former Confederate admiral and brigadier general Raphael Semmes regarding correspondence with a German who has created a flying machine that could be used to bombard northern cities. Says "...I have this day received an offer from a German who says he has invented a flying machine, to dedicate to the Southern Cause, which he says is not lost...he says we can bombard and destroy...Northern Cities with his flying machines. I will publish the letter as a fitting comment in all the fit Northern papers are raising, and some Southern ones, chiming in with, about our recent rebellious proceedings..."
Subjects	Civil War Confederate General or Leader Confederate States of America Military History Journalism Science and Technology Aviation Ballooning Reconstruction
People	Early, Jubal (1816-1894) Semmes, Raphael (1809-1877)
Place written	Lynchburg, Virginia
Theme	Reconstruction; The American Civil War; Science, Technology, Invention
Sub-collection	The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1860-1945
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945
Transcript	Show/hide Lynchburg Augt 29th, 1873 Dear Sir, I have received the enclosed which was directed to me at the [montgomery] & forwarded here, I suppose the man was a young man, who is a distant relation, and went to Europe after the war in the German [States] and mistakes me for him - I have received several (your) communications since my return, [Me] from a man in New York offering [2] to name a pilot & working [upon] after me if I would pay $100d for a suit of flags - I declined the Union [war] [illegible] had a strong notion to write to him if he would make a piratical craft of it if I would raise the 100 - I have this day received an offer from a German who says he has invented a flying machine, to dedicate to the Southern Cause, which he says is not lost. This letter has gone through the dead letter office in such haste as to induce me to [3] [illegible] it is a [illegible] says we can [illegible] land and destroy all the Northern Cities with his flying machines. I will publish the letter as a fitting comment in all the fit Northern papers are raising, and some Southern ones, chiming in with, about our recent rebellious proceedings. The enclosed letters belonging to the naval department, I forward to you - Present my regards to all my lady acquaintances - especially to your daughters, [4] Miss (Stovall), and Mrs. Baldwin - Very truly & respectfully yours JA Early Admiral R. Semmes

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