David Legge Brainard
Encyclopedia
Brigadier-General David Legge Brainard (December 21, 1856−March 22, 1946) was an American arctic explorer and soldier
.
, the fifth son to Alanson Brainard and Maria C. Legge.
, Bannock
and Nez Perce campaign
s in 1877 and 1878 under General Nelson Appleton Miles, where he was wounded on his face and right hand.
under Adolphus Greely
. Over the three years of this expedition he continuously kept a journal. Among the men to die on this expedition was James Booth Lockwood
, second-in-command of the expedition and Brainard's companion on many excursions, including their record breaking push north to 83°23'30". Brainard wrote of his passing on April 9, 1884:
Shortly before rescue, in the spring of 1884, freezing, starving and suffering from scurvy
, he wrote:
Brainard was one of only six survivors rescued by Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley
on June 22, 1884. On that day, he was reportedly too weak to hold his pencil to make a note in his log. He was awarded the Back Grant by the Royal Geographical Society
in 1885.
in the 2nd Cavalry in 1886 "as recognition of the gallant and meritorious services rendered by him in the Arctic expedition of 1881-1884." He then had the distinction of being the only living (active or retired) officer in the US Army commissioned for specific services. He served as Chief Commissary
of the Military Forces in the Philippines
during the Spanish-American War
in 1898.
After being promoted to brigadier general
in 1917, he served as Military Attaché
of the US Embassy in Portugal
from 1918 until his retirement from the Army in 1919.
for his arctic exploration in 1926, and in 1929 was awarded The Explorers Club Medal. He elected an honorary member of the American Polar Society
in 1936, on his 80th birthday.
Brainard married twice, first to Anna Chase in 1888, then to Sara Hall Guthrie (1880−1953) in 1917, leaving no children and one stepdaughter, Elinor, from his second marriage. Brainard died, aged 89, on March 22, 1946, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
, joined by his second wife in 1953. He was the last survivor of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, the second-last member having died in 1935.
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
.
Early life
Brainard was born in Norway, New YorkNorway, New York
Norway is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 711 at the 2000 census.The Town of Norway is located in the east-central part of the county and is northeast of Utica.The town borders the Adirondack Park.- History :...
, the fifth son to Alanson Brainard and Maria C. Legge.
Military career
Brainard enlisted in the US Army in 1876, and served in the SiouxSioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
, Bannock
Bannock (tribe)
The Bannock tribe of the Northern Paiute are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. Their traditional lands include southeastern Oregon, southeastern Idaho, western Wyoming, and southwestern Montana...
and Nez Perce campaign
Nez Perce War
The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict between the Nez Perce and the United States government fought in 1877 as part of the American Indian Wars. After a series of battles in which both the U.S. Army and native people sustained significant casualties, the Nez Perce surrendered and were relocated...
s in 1877 and 1878 under General Nelson Appleton Miles, where he was wounded on his face and right hand.
Arctic exploration
In 1880, he volunteered and was selected for the Howgate Expedition, which was canceled. However, the next year he was detailed as first sergeant for the ill-fated Lady Franklin Bay ExpeditionLady Franklin Bay Expedition
The 1881-1884 Lady Franklin Bay Expedition into the Canadian Arctic was led by Lt. Adolphus Greely and was promoted by the United States Army Signal Corps. Its purpose was threefold: to establish a meteorological-observation station as part of the First International Polar Year, to collect...
under Adolphus Greely
Adolphus Greely
Adolphus Washington Greely , was an American Polar explorer, a United States Army officer and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.-Early military career:...
. Over the three years of this expedition he continuously kept a journal. Among the men to die on this expedition was James Booth Lockwood
James Booth Lockwood
James Booth Lockwood , was an American arctic explorer. He died on the ill-fated Lady Franklin Bay Expedition....
, second-in-command of the expedition and Brainard's companion on many excursions, including their record breaking push north to 83°23'30". Brainard wrote of his passing on April 9, 1884:
Shortly before rescue, in the spring of 1884, freezing, starving and suffering from scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
, he wrote:
Brainard was one of only six survivors rescued by Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley
Winfield Scott Schley
Winfield Scott Schley was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and the hero of the Battle of Santiago Bay during the Spanish-American War.-Civil War:...
on June 22, 1884. On that day, he was reportedly too weak to hold his pencil to make a note in his log. He was awarded the Back Grant by the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
in 1885.
Later military career
Brainard was commissioned second lieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 2nd Cavalry in 1886 "as recognition of the gallant and meritorious services rendered by him in the Arctic expedition of 1881-1884." He then had the distinction of being the only living (active or retired) officer in the US Army commissioned for specific services. He served as Chief Commissary
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
of the Military Forces in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
during the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
in 1898.
After being promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
in 1917, he served as Military Attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
of the US Embassy in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
from 1918 until his retirement from the Army in 1919.
Post-retirement
Brainard was awarded the Charles P. Daly Medal by the American Geographical SocietyAmerican Geographical Society
The American Geographical Society is an organization of professional geographers, founded in 1851 in New York City. Most fellows of the society are Americans, but among them have always been a significant number of fellows from around the world...
for his arctic exploration in 1926, and in 1929 was awarded The Explorers Club Medal. He elected an honorary member of the American Polar Society
American Polar Society
-Honorary members:Starting in 1936 the following explorers, arctic scientists and geographers have been honored:*David Legge Brainard . He was the first to receive an honorary membership.*Richard Evelyn Byrd .*Vilhjalmur Stefansson ....
in 1936, on his 80th birthday.
Brainard married twice, first to Anna Chase in 1888, then to Sara Hall Guthrie (1880−1953) in 1917, leaving no children and one stepdaughter, Elinor, from his second marriage. Brainard died, aged 89, on March 22, 1946, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
, joined by his second wife in 1953. He was the last survivor of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, the second-last member having died in 1935.