Beschreibung:

From the Polar Collection of Glenn M. Stein, F.R.G.S. The historic Orders, Decorations and Medals, related documentation and artefacts appertaining to Brigadier-General D. L. Brainard, United States Army, a veteran of the Indian Wars who became the senior N.C.O. and last survivor of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition 1881-84, the first example of America’s participation in an international Arctic initiative: having achieved a “farthest north” record in a three-man sledging party in March 1882, his courage, example and leadership proved instrumental in the eventual rescue of the expedition’s survivors in June 1884, the intervening period having witnessed cannibalism, mutiny and the execution of a Private soldier for theft - but Brainard, who was among those ordered to draw lots to fire the fatal shot, noted in his journal that ‘Our own condition is so wretched, so palpably miserable, that death would be welcomed rather than feared ... ’ Footnote The Honours and Awards: United States of America, Purple Heart, the edge officially numbered ‘29069’ and the reverse offically engraved, ‘David L. Brainard’, split-brooch suspension with reverse pin for wearing, with lower part of its box of issue bearing a printed label, ‘The Bailey, Banks & Biddle Co., Phila., Quartermaster Depot, 2-12-32, Purple Heart Medal No. 29069’, this latter number written in ink; Indian Wars Campaign Medal, the edge officially numbered ‘527’, first style riband, wrap-round suspension brooch with reverse pin for wearing; Spanish-American War Campaign Medal 1898, the edge officially numbered ‘137’, second style riband, split-brooch suspension with reverse pin for wearing; Philippine Insurrection Medal 1899, the edge officially numbered ‘231’, wrap-round suspension brooch with reverse pin for wearing; American Victory Medal, slide-on clasp, France, wrap-round suspension brooch with reverse pin for wearing; French Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Portuguese Military Order of Christ, Grand Officer’s set of insignia, by Da Costa, Lisbon, comprising neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, and breast star, silver-gilt, enamelled centre, together with related riband bar; Portuguese Order of Avis, (Grand Officer’s) neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; American Explorers Club Medal, bronze, 53mm. by 80mm., by The Medallic Art Co., New York, awarded in 1929, obverse an explorer standing on a plinth, with club title above, reverse with unique officially engraved inscription, ‘To David Legge Brainard, Soldier and Explorer, Who, On May 13, 1882, With Lieut. James B. Lockwood, U.S.A., Fellow Member of the International Lady Franklin Bay Expedition Under First Lieut. A. W. Greely, U.S.A., Reached Latitude 83 24’ 30”, The Most Northerly Point Attained Up To That Time In Arctic Exploration’; American Explorers Club, Medal for the Fifth Anniversary of Peary’s North Pole Discovery 1909-1914, bronze, 53mm. by 80mm., by Tiffany & Co., with identical obverse design to the last, upon the plinth of which is officially engraved, ‘David L. Brainard’, and the impressed date, ‘April 6th 1914’, the reverse with a raised bust of Peary and inscription around, together with a bronze lapel badge of the U.S.W.V. National Auxiliary, presumably as worn by Brainard’s wife, generally good very fine and better (12) The related documents, photographs and artefacts: Commission warrant appointing Brainard a Deputy Commissary-General in the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, illuminated vellum scroll with official seal, dated 28 December 1905, and signed by President Theodore Roosevelt. Official condolence scroll, with inscription to ‘Brigadier General David L. Brainard [Who Died in the Service of His Country] in the American Area, March 22, 1946’, with facsimile signature of President Truman, the reverse of the scroll bearing a printed number ‘13116’. Letters addressed to Brainard from General A. W. Greely, his ex-Arctic C.O. (3), the first, dated 29 June 1923, handwritten in ink