First American Maritime Expedition Departs
The First American Maritime Expedition, which embarked on August 18, 1838, marked a significant moment in U.S. history as it aimed to survey maritime routes in the Pacific Ocean and South Seas. This expedition, motivated by an increasing interest in scientific research, was driven largely by the advocacy of Jeremiah Reynolds, an Ohio newspaper editor. Commanded by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes aboard the ship Vincennes, the expedition comprised six vessels and included a mix of naval personnel and scientists.
The journey began with a stop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, followed by extensive exploration of the southern tip of South America, including an initial incursion into Antarctic waters. The expedition faced challenges, including the loss of a ship during an icy storm, but it yielded significant scientific results, such as the confirmation of Antarctica as a continent. Over the course of their travels, the team collected numerous specimens and conducted surveys in various locations, including Tahiti and Sydney, Australia. The expedition ultimately returned to New York City on June 10, 1842, leaving a lasting legacy in the fields of exploration and science, including the naming of Wilkes Land in Antarctica in honor of its commander.
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First American Maritime Expedition Departs
First American Maritime Expedition Departs
On August 18, 1838, the first American maritime expedition set sail from Hampton Roads, Virginia, to survey maritime routes in the Pacific Ocean and South Seas. Up to that time, the American people had been reluctant to invest in scientific research, but their interest was piqued by an enthusiastic newspaper editor from Ohio named Jeremiah Reynolds. Reynolds's relentless, decade-long lobbying in Washington, D.C., finally persuaded Congress to fund a maritime expedition that would benefit both commerce and science.
Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, piloting the ship Vincennes, commanded the expedition, which consisted of six vessels. Moderating his insistence that the crew include only naval personnel, the cantankerous Wilkes grudgingly permitted five scientists on board. The expedition reached Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, first on November 24, 1838. After a stay of more than three weeks in that city, the squadron returned to sea on December 17. Continuing south, it sailed the entire length of South America and rounded Cape Horn. Below Cape Horn, the explorers sighted the northernmost point of the South Shetland Islands and continued south for their first incursion into the Antarctic. The expedition split into two sections for this initial investigation. Under Wilkes's second in command, Lieutenant William L. Hudson, two ships explored the Bellingshausen Sea west of Palmer Peninsula, which points from Antarctica toward the southern tip of South America. Two other ships, under Wilkes, investigated the region east of the Palmer Peninsula in the ice-filled Weddell Sea.
On May 13, 1839, after losing one of its ships, the Sea Gull, and its crew during an icy storm in the Antarctic, the expedition arrived at Callao, the seaport of Lima, Peru. At that time the Relief, a slow vessel, was sent home carrying the numerous specimens that had been collected up to that time. The remaining four vessels departed on July 13, 1839, taking a westerly course that would permit extensive scientific observations in the South Pacific and the collection of many valuable specimens. On September 12, 1839, the expedition reached Tahiti, where the scientists aboard the ships made extensive surveys of the island. The Americans went on to the islands of Samoa, Upota, and others before reaching Sydney, Australia, on November 27. On December 26, 1839, they left Sydney and began an exploratory cruise in the Antarctic Ocean. They sighted land on January 19, 1840, and during the weeks that followed they confirmed the existence of a previously undiscovered continent. On several occasions their boats sailed fairly close to the Antarctic land mass, thereby enabling the scientists to observe and gather specimens of the rock and sand of the continent. The discovery that Antarctica was in fact a continent was undoubtedly the most spectacular achievement of the expedition. In honor of its commander, a large region of the southernmost continent later bore the name of Wilkes Land. On February 21, 1840, the Americans began their return home, a leisurely process that involved the exploration of many new lands and that concluded when they arrived at New York City on June 10, 1842.