The balloon named Louis Blanc, piloted by Eugene Farcot, takes off on 12 October 1870.
Balloons were used first in a military conflict in 1794 during the French Revolutionary Wars.
These balloons were sporadically used for reconnaissance and saw action during the battles of Charleroi and Fleurus.
Seventy years later, during the American Civil War, balloons were used again for similar military purposes.
The Union Army had several balloons which they used to reconnoiter enemy positions or relay information using signal flags.
He had already established a single balloon called theNeptuneto perform tethered ascents for observation purposes.
The balloons also carried homing pigeons to bring back mail from the outside world.
This was the only means by which communications from the rest of France could reach the besieged city.
Homing pigeons were less successfulonly one out of six came back.
However, each pigeon carried multiple messages on photographic microfilm.
Leon Gambetta, the minister for War, prepares to depart in a balloon.
Five were captured by the Prussians when they landed.
Three were lost at sea.
One drifted as far away as Norway.
Several tried to catch favorable winds and fly back in.
