Henry Grinnell, a retired merchant and philanthropist, was interested in the fate of
British explorer Sir John Franklin, who had been lost in the Arctic since 1845 while
searching for a Northwest Passage. To help with the search for Franklin, Grinnell
purchased two brigs, the Rescue and Advance, had them modified for Arctic service, and
loaned them to the U.S. Navy for a rescue attempt. In May of 1850, the expedition
sailed from New York in what became known as the First Grinnell Expedition. The
expedition was commanded by Lt. Edwin De Haven, who led the Advance and Acting Master Samuel Palmer Griffin, who was second in
command of the expedition and led the Rescue. While
the expedition did not locate Franklin, it did find evidence of his party. The
expedition returned safely to New York in late 1851.
