Biography

In 1838, Wilkes was offered the command of the US Exploring Expedition - for some reason, it had been declined several times by senior officers. Six ships in very bad condition were selected for this voyage - the "Vincennes", "Peacock", "Porpoise", "Sea Gull", "Flying Fish", and the "Relief". By 18 August 1838, Wilkes became more and more depressed, confiding to his diary that he felt 'doomed to destruction'. After sailing down the east coast of South America, he directed the "Peacock" and the "Flying Fish" to sail southwest to try to beat Cook's southing record. The "Vincennes" and the "Relief" were to explore the coast of Tierra del Fuego. Wilkes himself set off south with the "Porpoise" and the "Sea Gull" to see how far he could penetrate the pack ice. The two ships soon lost contact with one another. The "Sea Gull" was lost somewhere off Chile, but the "Peacock" and the "Flying Fish" managed to cross the 70th parallel - slightly a degree away from beating Cook's record. The "Relief" was later sent home, because "it was unsuitable for ice work". On 16 January 1840, the remaining four ships (the "Flying Fish" got lost and went back to New Zealand), sighted land in the region of 154°30'E. The "Vincennes" went west, after all four ships got separated again, and reached a huge ice shelf - Wilkes named it Termination Land but today it is known as the Shackleton Ice Shelf. He decided to head home on 21 February 1840.

When he got home, he was surprised to find that he was found guilty of punishing thieving seamen too harshly. Wilkes was therefore placed on the retired list, never to sail again.