The Balloon-Hoax - Publication History

Publication History

The story was first published on April 13, 1844 in the New York Sun. It ran with the headline:

ASTOUNDING NEWS!

BY EXPRESS VIA NORFOLK:

THE ATLANTIC CROSSED

IN THREE DAYS!

SIGNAL TRIUMPH OF

MR. MONCK MASON'S

FLYING MACHINE!!!

Arrival at Sullivan's Island,

near Charlestown, S. C., of

Mr. Mason, Mr. Robert Hol-

land, Mr. Henson, Mr. Har-

rison Ainsworth, and four

others, in the

STEERING BALLOON

"VICTORIA,"

AFTER A PASSAGE OF

SEVENTY-FIVE HOURS

FROM LAND TO LAND.

FULL PARTICULARS

OF THE

VOYAGE!!!

A retraction concerning the article was printed in The Sun on April 15, 1844:

BALLOON - The mails from the South last Saturday night not having brought a confirmation of the arrival of the Balloon from England, the particulars of which from our correspondent we detailed in our Extra, we are inclined to believe that the intelligence is erroneous. The description of the Balloon and the voyage was written with a minuteness and scientific ability calculated to obtain credit everywhere, and was read with great pleasure and satisfaction. We by no means think such a project impossible.

The author of this retraction has not been determined and was rumored to be Poe himself.