Boston Massachusetts, July 4, 1862

    At 7:05 p.m. on the evening of July 4, 1860, Professor Samuel A. King and four passengers took off from the Boston Common in the balloon “Star Spangled Banner” as part of the city’s July Fourth celebration.  With the professor were Mr. J. B. Stearns, Superintendent of the Boston Telegraph Fire Alarms, William Mc Cormic, and Mr. Holden, both newspaper reporters, and a forth man identified as Thaddeus Page.  

     As it rose, the balloon took an easterly course towards Boston Harbor.  There was fog over the water, and so King made preparations to land as soon as possible.  He released some of the gas and the balloon came down in the water just south of Rainsford Island.  After rising again, it began to head towards Long Island. (One of Boston’s Harbor Islands.)  King figured he could make a landing there but then realized it would be impossible.  

     Meanwhile people on several boats had been watching the men’s predicament and set course to intercept them.  Ropes were dropped from the balloon, and the first to secure one was a man aboard a sail boat, but the boat was no match for the bobbing balloon and he had to release it.

     A line was then secured to the tugboat “Huron”, but it snapped.  A second line was secured and this one held, but the strong winds now buffeting the balloon were causing the balloon to pull the tug off course and towards a rocky reef where it would likely be wrecked. 

     King and his passengers were forced to abandon the balloon and climb down the thirty foot rope to the deck of the tug.  As they were doing so, Stearns lost his grip and fell into the water but was quickly rescued.  King was the last to leave the balloon, and as soon as he was safely aboard the tug the line was cut and the balloon sailed away.   

     The balloon, which was valued at $800, was recovered the following day having come down on a fence and torn open. 

     Sources:

     The Boston Post, (no headline), July 4, 1862 

     New York Herald, “Ascension of the Great Balloon “Star Spangled Banner” From Boston Common – Peril of the Aeronauts”, July 11, 1862