Lady Franklin Bay Expedition (1881-1884)

The Lady Franklin Bay Expedition of 1881–1884 to Lady Franklin Bay on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian Arctic was led by Lieutenant Adolphus Greely, and was promoted by the United States Army Signal Corps. Its purpose was to establish a meteorological-observation station as part of the First International Polar Year, and to collect astronomical and magnetic data. During the expedition, two members of the crew reached a new Farthest North record, but of the original twenty-five men, only seven survived to return.

The expedition was under the auspices of the Signal Corps at a time when the Corps' Chief Disbursements officer, Henry W. Howgate, was arrested for embezzlement. However, that did not deter the planning and execution of the voyage ...

Expedition timeline: March 3, 1881
The U.S. Congress passes the Sundry Civil Bill, designating $25,000 for the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition. Their mission is to gather comprehensive data on the Arctic climate.

July 7, 1881
The Lady Franklin Bay Expedition team leaves St. John's, Newfoundland on the steamship Proteus for Ellesmere Island (500 miles south of the North Pole). Slated to arrive at Ellesmere Island in August 1881, the team will live in the far north for two years. Lt. Adolphus Greely leads the team.

A re-supply ship is scheduled to return in one year, and the team plans to go back to the U.S. in September 1883.

July 20, 1881
Dr. Octave Pavy, a surgeon, joins Greely's expedition in Greenland. He has previous experience in the Arctic and in treating health problems typical of the region.

July 28, 1881
Lieutenant James Lockwood recruits two Eskimo dog drivers in Proven, Greenland — Jens Edward and Thorlip Frederik Christiansen. The total crew now numbers 25 men.

August 11, 1881
The Proteus reaches the eastern coast of Ellesmere Island at the mouth of Lady Franklin Bayand the expedition team unloads 350 tons of supplies -- enough to last them three years. The team begins to construct a shelter, which they name Fort Congor.

August 26, 1881
The Proteus leaves the expedition team at Lady Franklin Bay. Large ice floes had blocked several previous departure attempts.

October 15, 1881
The sun sets and will not rise again for 137 days.

November 24, 1881
To celebrate Thanksgiving, the men organize a day of competitions including a snowshoe race, 100-yard foot race, and a rifle-shooting competition. The prizes are preserved peaches, tobacco and rum.

Winter 1881-2
The expedition team spends its first winter in the far North. Greely's men grow restless from inactivity despite their leader's strict discipline.

March 1882
Light returns to the Artic. Greely organizes two groups for an excursion north. Pavy will lead one team up the Ellesmere coast, and Lockwood will lead another team up the Greenland side ...

Expedition members list: This group photo of the Lady Franklin Bay expedition team was taken in 1881 before departure for the Arctic to gather scientific data. Led by Adolphus Washington Greely, the volunteer expedition team consisted of U.S. military officers and enlistees, two Eskimos, and one medical doctor. Twenty-two of the 25 men are pictured here. All in good physical health when they left, none had previously been to the far north, and only six would survive after the team was abandoned in the Arctic for three years.

First Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely
Born: March 27, 1844
Survived the expedition

A Civil War veteran, Adolphus Greely led the Lady Franklin Bay expedition with strict military discipline. After surviving the expedition, Greely lobbied the U.S. Army to honor the promotions he had made in the field, and he worked to publish the scientific data that the team had collected. Greely continued his successful military career, retiring at age 64 and receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1935. He died on October 20, 1935.

Second Lieutenant Frederick F. Kislingbury
Born: December 25, 1847
Died: June 1, 1884 of starvation at Camp Clay ...