Greely, Adolphus Washington

Greely, Adolphus Washington

▪ American explorer
born March 27, 1844, Newburyport, Massachusetts, U.S.
died October 20, 1935, Washington, D.C.
 U.S. Army officer whose scientific expedition to the Arctic resulted in the exploration of a considerable amount of terrain on Ellesmere Island, Canada, and on coastal Greenland, where he also set a contemporary record by reaching 83°24′ N latitude; the mission, however, ended in tragedy.

      During the first International Polar Year, a joint program of scientific research sponsored by 11 nations (1882–83), Greely commanded the U.S. station at Fort Conger on northeastern Ellesmere Island. From August 1881 to August 1883 the expedition, consisting of 25 officers and men, recorded 500 observations each day on weather and tides and collected and studied samples of minerals, flora, and fauna. Discoveries made on sledge trips included Lake Hazen and Greely Fjord on the western side of Ellesmere. When a relief ship failed to arrive in early August 1883 the party abandoned Fort Conger and moved southward in small boats. Covering 500 miles (805 kilometres) in 51 days, the men landed at Bedford Pym Island in Smith Sound on October 15. There they faced a winter of 250 days with rations for 40 days and, before the ordeal was over, were reduced to eating their own leather clothing. Only Greely and six others survived.

      Much of Greely's later army work involved laying communications lines in the Philippines, Alaska, and elsewhere. He was promoted to chief signal officer and brigadier general in 1887. In 1888 he helped found the American Geographical Society. His many published works include Three Years of Arctic Service (1886) and Handbook of Polar Discoveries (5th ed. 1910).

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Adolphus Washington Greely — Adolphus Greely Adolphus Greely (Rechts) und Knud Rasmussen Adolphus Greely (eigentlich Adolphus Washington Greely; * …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Adolphus Greely — Adolphus Greely …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Adolphus Greely — Infobox Military Person name=Adolphus Washington Greely born= birth date|1844|3|27 died= Death date and age|1935|10|20|1844|3|27 placeofbirth=Newburyport, Massachusetts placeofdeath=Washington, D.C. placeofburial= Arlington National Cemetery… …   Wikipedia

  • Adolphus Greely — Adolphus Washington Greely Greely acceptant sa promotion en 1887 Naissance 27 mars 1844 Newburyport …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Greely — (spr. grīlĭ), Adolphus Washington, amerikan. Nordpolfahrer, geb. 27. März 1844 zu Newburyport in Massachusetts, trat 1861 in die Armee ein, wurde während des Bürgerkriegs zum Offizier befordert und nach demselben dem Küsstensignaldienst zugeteilt …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Greely — (spr. grihlĕ), Adolphus Washington, amerik. General und Nordpolfahrer, geb. 27. März 1844 zu Newburyport (Massachusetts), leitete 1881 84 die internationale Polarexpedition nach der Lady Franklinbai, seit 1887 Leiter des Signal and Meteorological …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Augustus Greely — Adolphus Greely Adolphus Greely (Rechts) und Knud Rasmussen Adolphus Greely (eigentlich Adolphus Washington Greely; * …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Adolphus Greely — Major General Adolphus Washington Greely Adolphus Washington Greely (Aceptando la promoción en 1887) …   Wikipedia Español

  • Greely — biographical name Adolphus Washington 1844 1935 American general & arctic explorer …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Greely — /gree lee/, n. Adolphus Washington, 1844 1935, U.S. general and arctic explorer. * * * …   Universalium

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