Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-03-21
From Frank LesIie's Illustrated Newspaper.
SHIP RESOLUTE---IIcr Recovery.
Ui1hIv TutereSfiuS Incidents.

SHIP RESOLUT E-s-Itcr SecOVcrY.
Highly Interesting Incidents.
In the year Of 1859. the government Of
England determined to make the last el-
| fort to discover the remains Of Sir John
Franklin. Five vessels. the Pioneer, Re-
solute, Assistance, Intrepid and In
vcstigalor, were selected. The departure
! of the fleet from WoOwich was Witnessed
I By admiring thousands, and universal
prayer went up, that its destined object
should be accomplished and that all en-
gagged should return in safety to their
| homes.
The situation Of these ships while enga-
ged in their arduOus task everywhere eX-
cited fears FOR their safety. The official
reports Of the progress OF the expedition
were always unfavoreble. On the IL h
Of August. 1889. Sir Edward Belchrr
sailed up Wellington Straits IN the Assis-
tancc. while captain Tcl!et ic the Reso-
lutte proceeded in an eDstwGrdly direction
towards Melville Island. The lnvestiga~
tor, Captain Mcclure was also cruising in
the same lltitude. The vessels became fas
tened in the ice, and it was found, after
wintering in them one year, that it would
not be safe to remain much longer. The
government being acquainted with these
facts, it was determined to send the PhG-
nix and the Talbot out to the relief Of the
prisoners in the ice; and accordingly these
vessels we're properly fitted out, and un-
der the command Of Captain Ingle6cld
were despatched for the Arctic regions,
with orders to release the crews Of the
Resolute, Investigator and Assistance.
and withdraw the fleet from further search
Of Sir Franklin. Among the detailed in
structions the government directed that.
Ii the crews of the Enterprise and In
vestigator are at Banks land they must
abandon their ships and every endeavor
should be made to get them TO Beechey
Island, that they may return to England.
If this has already been effected, and
Captain Kellet with his ships, has return
ed to Melville Island. you are immediate
ly to proceed TO England with the whole
Of the ships and their crews, abandoning
all further search for the missing expedi>
ton, unless any circumstances on consul
tation with the senor officers of Her Ma
| jesty's ships) should induce you to believe
that your remaining out another year
would tend to clear up the fate of our
missing countrymen. But if Captain
KelIet has been unable TO move from his
position at Melville Islaud, it may be me-
Iccssary to give orders to him to abandon
the Resolute and Intrepid, and secure his
retreat to Beechey Island" ....
Acting under the above order, Sir E l.
ward Belcher decided to abandon the
ships, as near as can be ascertained by
tho last entry in the Resolute's log.
] ,Lo I,t of nd
for home in the Phoenix and Talbot
Capt. Kellet, of the Resolute, having
great faith in the strength and endurance
of his vessel. endeavored to induce Sir
Ed. Belcher to let him remain and winter
the season out, He urged his arguments
strongly. saying that it would not be a
very hard matter to pick out crew from
all the vessels and put on board the Reso-
lutte, on which be would be willing to re-
main behind. His object in remaining
was to assist Capt. Collinson. who was
also captive in the ice, but at some dis
tance from the Belcher feet. The cons
mander was not willing. however, to
allow Captain Kellet to remain behind ;
and although he granted him some days
of grace from the 18th of May, (the day
ordered for the abandonment of the fleet J
still Captain K0llett was not satisfied with
the order, and when he did leave the yes
sci, it was with the greatest reluctance.
The crews of the investigator, ResOlute,
and Assistance were then placed on board
of the Phoenix aud the Talbot. and we're,
along with their commanders. conveyed
home to England Although Sir Edward
Belcher had orders from the Admiralty.
which in the eyes of many would have
justified him in abandoning the vessels.
yet be and his comrades, Messrs. NJ Clure,
Kellet and Richards. we're tried BY court
martial for not properly performing the
duties properly allotted TO them. Tie
result OF the investigation placed Sir Ed
ward Belcher in rather an unpleasant sits