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April-May 1884 - Greely Relief Expedition


NH 2145: Greely Relief Expedition, May - August 1884. USS Thetis (1884-1899) in the ice off Horse Head Island, Greenland on 4 June 1884, early in the search for survivors of the Greely polar exploration party. USS Bear (1884-1885, later AG-29) is astern (at left). NHHC Photograph Collection.
Caption: NH 2145: Greely Relief Expedition, May - August 1884. USS Thetis (1884-1899) in the ice off Horse Head Island, Greenland on 4 June 1884, early in the search for survivors of the Greely polar exploration party. USS Bear (1884-1885, later AG-29) is astern (at left). NHHC Photograph Collection.

111-SC-96236: Greely Relief Expedition. Survivors of the Greely Expedition are shown on board USS Thetis, at Cape Sabine on 4-8 July 1884.
Caption: 111-SC-96236: Greely Relief Expedition. Survivors of the Greely Expedition are shown on board USS Thetis, at Cape Sabine on 4-8 July 1884.

On April 24, 1884, USS Bear departed New York Naval Shipyard as part of the Greely Relief Expedition.  USS Thetis, HMS Alert, and clipper Loch Garry would soon join Bear.  The Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, led by U.S. Army Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely, was marooned in the Arctic since 1882 after initially attempting to establish a meteoroligical-observation station and to collect astronomical and magnetic data.  The relief ships were under the command of Commander Winfeld S. Schley, USN.  Greely and six of his exploring party were rescued on 22 June at Cape Sabine.  Of note, a rescue attempt was held the previous eyar, but the relief ship Proteus was crushed by pack ice. 


USN 900732: Greely Relief Expedition, May-August 1884. Officers of the steamer, USS Thetis, Commanding Officer, Commander Winfeld Scott Schley, is fourth from the left. NHHC Photograph Collection.
Caption: USN 900732: Greely Relief Expedition, May-August 1884. Officers of the steamer, USS Thetis, Commanding Officer, Commander Winfeld Scott Schley, is fourth from the left. NHHC Photograph Collection.

LC-USZ62-17183: Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, 1881-84, led by Lieutenant Adolphus Greely. The Expedition was rescued by the U.S. Navy in June 1884. Shown: Expeditionary stores and game stand at Discovery Harbor, Proteus in the background and Post Office Cairn to the right, August 1881. Proteus was crushed in the ice in 1883. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Caption: LC-USZ62-17183: Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, 1881-84, led by Lieutenant Adolphus Greely. The Expedition was rescued by the U.S. Navy in June 1884. Shown: Expeditionary stores and game stand at Discovery Harbor, Proteus in the background and Post Office Cairn to the right, August 1881. Proteus was crushed in the ice in 1883. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

111-SC-93536: Brigadier General Adolphus W. Greely, Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army. Official U.S. Army photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 111-SC-93536: Brigadier General Adolphus W. Greely, Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army. Official U.S. Army photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
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Published: Wed Apr 15 06:47:58 EDT 2020