Jeannette Monument Explained

Jeannette Monument
Body:	United States Naval Academy
Commemorates:	the lost explorers of the 1881 Jeannette expedition
Location:	United States Naval Academy Cemetery
Nearest Town:	Dorsey Creek
Designer:	George Partridge Colvocoresses
Inscription:	Commemorative of the heroic officers and men of the United States Navy who perished in the Jeannette Arctic Exploring Expedition·1881
Unveiled:	30 October 1890

The Jeannette Monument is the largest monument in the United States Naval Academy Cemetery.^[1] It memorializes the 1881 loss of while exploring the Arctic ice. Jeannette, with a crew of 33, collapsed and sank under surging ice in the summer of 1881. Her crew, commanded by George W. DeLong, took to the ice dragging three small boats. When open water was found, the boats were used to sail to the Lena Delta of Siberia, 700 miles distant. DeLong commanded a boat of 14 total crew members, Executive Officer Charles W. Chipp's boat's crew was 8 total crew members, and Engineer Officer George W. Melville's boat had 11. Chipp's boat was lost at sea with all hands. Engineer Melville's boat landed in the southern delta, and DeLong's boat came ashore farther to the north on 17 September 1881.^[2] Melville quickly found aid, as did the two hardiest sailors of DeLong's crew soon after. The 12 remaining, including DeLong, perished from starvation or exposure. Thus 20 of the original 33 did not survive the expedition.^[3]

Monument description

Ten of the lost twelve from DeLong's boat were discovered by Melville on 23 March 1882, and interred on the Lena Delta. Their bodies were marked by a stone cairn constructed locally,^[4] then later to be returned to the United States in 1884.^[2] The Jeanette Monument is evocative of the cairn erected by Melville in 1882. It was designed by George Partridge Colvocoresses, drawing instructor at the Academy.^[5] It has caked ice draped on the cross, and an antique anchor at the cross's base. The monument is situated near the cemetery's shore with Dorsey Creek, and near the mouth of the creek into the Severn River. Of the twenty names thought to be inscribed, only eleven appear.

The monument was unveiled 30 October 1890,^[6] nine years exactly from the last entry in DeLong's journal of the expedition.^[4] There are no bodies interred under the monument.

Monument inscriptions

On the cemetery's Cushing Road side:^{[1] [7]}

On the Dorsey Creek side:^{[1] [7]}

Re-interpreted for clarity, and using modern punctuation:

Cairn inscription

Inscribed into the cross of the Jeannette cairn:

Other crew members

• James Markham Marshall Ambler was the medical officer on board Jeannette, and a member of DeLong's boat crew. He treated his crew mates for starvation and exposure in the northern Lena Delta. Ambler was one of the last three to perish, sometime after 30 October 1881.^[8]
• George W. Melville was an Arctic explorer both before and after his time on Jeannette. A famous naval engineer, Melville rose to the rank of rear admiral. He died in 1912.^[9]
• Raymond Lee Newcomb was the naturalist, artist, and astronomer on Jeannette, and a member of Melville's boat crew. He died in 1918.^[10]
• William Dunbar was the ice pilot on Jeannette, and a member of Chipp's boat crew. He died, lost at sea, 12 September 1881.^[11]
• Jerome J. Collins was the expedition's Scientific Officer & Meteorologist, and a correspondent for the New York Herald. He headed the very first weather bureau via the New York Herald. A member of DeLong's boat crew, Collins is last subject of DeLong's last journal entry: "Sunday Oct 30 — ... Mr Collins dying"^[12]
• John Wilson Danenhower was second officer of the Jeannette, and a member of Melville's boat crew. His seamanship is given credit for saving Melville's boat during the 12 September storm. He died in 1887 by suicide.^[13]
• William Friedrich Carl Nindemann was a seaman on Jeannette, and a member of DeLong's boat crew. He was one of two that were able to leave DeLong to seek help. Nindemann returned with Melville in 1882 to locate DeLong's last camp site.^[14]
• Louis P. Noros was a seaman on Jeannette, and a member of DeLong's boat crew. He was the other of two that were able to leave DeLong to seek help. Language difficulties prevented timely rescue.^[15]
• Ah Sam was the expedition's cook, and a member of DeLong's boat crew.

External links

• Web site: A History of the Navy in 100 Objects. Object #29: The Jeannette Expedition Monument. U.S. Naval Academy Museum. 15 May 2014. video.
• Web site: In Memory Of Heroic Men; The Jeannette Monument At Annapolis Unveiled. New York Times. 23 May 2014. pdf. 31 October 1890.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Cemetery and Columbarium. Notable Monuments. US Naval Academy. 15 May 2014.
2. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Naval History & Heritage Command. Jeannette Arctic Expedition, 1879-1881 Overview and Selected Images . https://web.archive.org/web/20031101055137/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/ev-1880s/jeannett.htm . dead . 1 November 2003 . Naval History & Heritage Command . 19 May 2014 .
3. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command . Jeannette Arctic Expedition, 1879-1881 . https://web.archive.org/web/20031101055137/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/ev-1880s/jeannett.htm . dead . 1 November 2003 . . 19 May 2014 .
4. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Jeannette Arctic Expedition, 1879-1881 -- Jeannette's Men in the Lena River Delta. Naval History & Heritage Command. 19 May 2014.
5. Web site: The Colvocoresses Oak. 19 May 2014. blog. 25 May 2012.
6. News: The Jeannette Monument Unveiled. 15 May 2014. Daily Alta California. 31 October 1890.
7. Web site: Colvocoresses . George P. George Partridge Colvocoresses. Jeannette Arctic Expedition memorial at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. dcMemorials.com. 15 May 2014.
8. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Passed Assistant Surgeon James M. M. Ambler, USN (1848-1881). Naval History & Heritage Command. 23 May 2014.
9. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Rear Admiral George W. Melville, USN, (1841-1912). Naval History & Heritage Command. 23 May 2014.
10. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Raymond Lee Newcomb, (1849-1918). Naval History & Heritage Command. 23 May 2014.
11. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. William Dunbar (18??-1881). Naval History & Heritage Command. 23 May 2014.
12. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Jerome J. Collins (1841-1881). Naval History & Heritage Command. 23 May 2014.
13. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command . Lieutenant John W. Danenhower, USN (1849-1887) . Naval History & Heritage Command . 23 May 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141120035222/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-d/j-danhwr.htm . 20 November 2014 .
14. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Seaman William F.C. Nindemann (1850-_??_). Naval History & Heritage Command. 23 May 2014.
15. Web site: Naval History & Heritage Command. Seaman Louis P. Noros, (in service, 1879–1882). Naval History & Heritage Command. 23 May 2014.