Solomon Andrews and his incredible patent No. 43,449. July 5, 1864, for "Improvement in aerostats."

Todays in Hidden History is a man named Solomon Andrews (1806-1872) and his incredible patent No. 43,449. July 5,-1864, for "Improvement in aerostats." This will be a very specific thread, but if you're familiar with the Sonora Aero Club (and if you are not, you will be in the near future) then things will fall into place. In 1862, Solomon Andrews penned a letter to President Lincoln informing him of his new “Aeron,” which he wanted used for reconnaissance by the Union Army. On September 4, 1863, Andrews gave a full demonstration before reporters and members of the U.S. War Department. His patents are readily available online: https://patents.google.com/patent/US43449A/en The Aeron was described as “three 80-foot-long cigar-shaped forms… connected side by side.” According to contemporary reports, while moving against the wind, the Aeron maintained a speed of 120 mph. Further reporters refused to discuss the propulsion system, citing concern that the information might fall into the hands of the Confederate Army. This Aeron was not a balloon, nor was it a conventional dirigible. It was something else entirely. The following lines come from Andrews’ 1864 patent description itself: “If made in a flattened and elongated form... it finds no opposing force to the direction of gravitation.” “The difference between the gravity of the aerostat and that of the atmosphere... propels [it] over the surface of the earth… by the form of the aerostat or a disk attached.” “It slides along the atmosphere as a sled slides down a hill by the force of gravitation indirectly applied.” “The best shape… for an aerostat will be [elongated], [but] these can't be made to coincide in… all angles of inclination which may be had except in a perfect sphere.” Flattened and elongated? No opposing force to the direction of gravitation? The force of gravitation indirectly applied? A disk? A vision of a perfect sphere? Are these not all terms now used to describe multiple aspects of the modern UFO phenomenon? We now see that powered and controlled flight may have been achieved decades before the Wright brothers are credited with it. This patent shows rudimentary technology that I believe could have developed into Andrews’ “perfect sphere” and “flattened and elongated” craft. Yet there is more. After his impressive demonstration, Andrews met with President Lincoln. In March of 1864, Lincoln ordered the War Department and Congress to begin the process of acquiring Andrews’ airship. Congress then recommended its immediate acquisition to the War Department. But in the spring of 1865, the House Committee on Military Affairs rejected the technology and ended the acquisition process. But why? Why would the project be rejected after both the President and Congress recommended its immediate acquisition? Could development have continued in what may have been one of the United States’ first black projects? This brings us to the Texas airship sightings of the 1890s. But that is for another day. I believe we have, on public record, a chain of research and development related to advanced aerospace projects dating back to the 19th century.