Polaris, ex Periwinkle (AG, 1864): Photographs
| These photographs were selected to show the original configuration of this class and major subsequent modifications. For more views see the former NHHC (now Hyperwar) Online Library of Selected Images and the NavSource Photo Archive. |
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USS Polaris (1864-1872) In open water enroute to the Arctic in 1871. From a wood engraving published in Harper's Weekly, 1873. Photo No. None Source: Wikipedia |
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| The following five images are from a portfolio of pencil sketches drawn by Emil Schumann, Engineer of the Polaris expedition. They were photographed at the U.S. Treasury Department and published as a set of prints on boards. Some of these are now filed at the Naval History and Heritage Command as the Polaris Collection, NHF-019. The sketches were also used to illustrate Schumann's book, The Cruise of the Polaris, which was published by the Treasury Department. The images provided here are extracts showing the ship, but the ship was only an incidental part of most of the sketches, whose main aim was to show the Arctic and Greenland environment within which the expedition took place and some of the activities of the crew. |
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USS Polaris on 10 August 1871 "At Godhaven, Greenland, awaiting USS Congress." The steam sloop Congress arrived with supplies for Polaris a few days later and her captain tried to help re-establish discipline on board the exploration ship. From a pencil sketch by Emil Schumann, Engineer of the expedition. Photo No. None Source: Naval History and Heritage Command (NHF-019) |
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USS Polaris on 1 September 1871 "The perilous position of the Polaris. Removing provisions from the ship." At this time the ship reached her record high latitude of 82°29' North. From a pencil sketch by Emil Schumann, Engineer of the expedition. Photo No. None Source: Naval History and Heritage Command (NHF-019) |
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USS Polaris on 20 September 1871 "Thank God Harbor. Latitude 81°38' North." The ship arrived here on 10 September 1871 and the crew settled in for the winter ashore. From a pencil sketch by Emil Schumann, Engineer of the expedition. Photo No. None Source: Naval History and Heritage Command (NHF-019) |
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USS Polaris on 17 April 1872 "Winter quarters by Providence Berg." At this time the crew was trying to put together an expedition to the Pole, which departed on 6 June 1872 but quickly failed. From a pencil sketch by Emil Schumann, Engineer of the expedition. Photo No. None Source: Naval History and Heritage Command (NHF-019) |
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USS Polaris on 15 October 1872 "The parting of the ship's company." On 15 October 1872 the ship grounded on a shallow iceberg, and while part of the crew was on the ice unloading stores the ice broke up carrying them away from the ship. They rode the ice floe south for six months until rescued by a sealing ship. The ship floated free but, damaged and short of coal, was deliberately run aground the next day at Etah, Greenland. From a pencil sketch by Emil Schumann, Engineer of the expedition. Photo No. None Source: Naval History and Heritage Command (NHF-019) |
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