First Flight

Professor Robert Elkins sat in the library reading. Reading, researching, analyzing, and investigating historical events was his calling. That's what he had been doing for over 40 years. Occasionally he discovered answers to historic cunundrums. Most of the time, he simply shared his discoveries and insights with his students. That's what professors are supposed to do and Robert Elkins loved the pursuit of knowledge.

He was interested in the Spanish-American War, that "splendid little war" that had propelled Teddy Roosevelt into a hero's seat and eventually into the Presidency. He had a lecture to give and wanted to present a graphic picture of what it must have been like - different from the politics and diplomacy that is generally recorded in history texts and discussed "ad nauseum" in lectures.

He was reading about the 1^st Balloon Corps and their deployment to Cuba after the sinking of the USS Maine. Sergeant Ivy Baldwin was an early innovator and in fact made the hot air balloon that was used at the Battle of Santiago. Professor Elkins read on and wondered about the character of Sergeant Baldwin. Baldwin had been a 27 year-old, newly married soldier who had built and experimented with a balloon that could hoist a soldier over a battlefield and be used for reconnaissance. His wife Catherine had just borne their first child when war with Spain was declared. Elkins drifted into a semi-comatose state as he was prone to do when imagining events that might have taken place.

* * * *

"Baldwin, will that thing fly," yelled Major Walters.

"Yes sir", answered the Sergeant, "can be ready to go in two hours."

"Well get it ready." "We need some help in figuring out where those bastards are."