Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-09-15
A FATAL MISTAKE.
Cause OF the Complete and Disastrous
Failure Of the Greeley Relief
Expedition.
A Very Serious Blunder Committed by
Either Lieut.. darlington or
Gen. HaZen.

WAsuINGToN, September 14.-No addi
tional reports have been received to-day,
either at the State Department or Navy
Department, from the officers of the re-
turned Greeley relief expedition. At st.
John it seems to be generally conceded by
those who have given most attention to
the subject that the complete and disas-
trous failure of the relief expedition was
mainly due the omission of Lieut.. CARING
ton to land half the stores and houses at
Tarleton Island, or some other iceberg
point north of Smiths sound, before at
tempting the hazardous navigation be-
yond. ii he had done this the destruction
OF the Proteus would have been a compara-
lively trifing misfortune, and would not
necessarily have imperiled the lives either
OF her crew or the party they were sent
north to rescue. Darlington and his men
could then, after the destruction of their
ship, have returned to a secure base of sup
plies thus established, and could have
carried out the remainder OF their plans
for the relief OF the Lady Franklin
bay party by means OF a sled
expedition up the coast of Grinnell
Land. As it is now, there is no party
at the mouth of Smiths sound to CO.
operate with Lieut.. Greeley, and no con-
siderable supply OF food there for him to
retreat upon, and the fatal mistake, 1t is
said, which Lieut.. Darlington made, was
in plunging into the extremely dangerous
fee OF Smiths sound without having estab-
lished at the mouth of that sound depot
of provisions and n house-upon which he
could fall back in case of disaster. There
would seem, however, to be some justiii-
cation for the course pursued by him in
the orders issued to him by Gen. Hazen on
the 9TH OF June, Just before he started from
New York. These orders were in part as
follows: "If it should become clearly ap-
parent that the vessel cannot be pushed
through, you will retreat from your ad-
yanced position and land your party and
stores at or near Life-boat Cove These
orders clearly imply the direction, not TO
land his house and stores, until he should
have run all the risks of Smiths sound
and have found timpossibletog get through.
They virtually direct him to land his
stores late in the season OH his retreat, and
not early in the season on his way up, as
would seem TO have been a more prudent
course. The attention of the acting chief
signal officer was called to-day by an Asso-
ciated Press reporter 10 this part of Gen.
Hazen's original order TO Lisut. CARING
ton, and he was asked whether the par
ticular instruction in question had ever
been revoked OF modified, and he replied
that il had by supplemental orders sent
Darlington Just before the departure of the
relief expedition from St. John last sum-
mer.
in the absence Of any definite informal
ton from Lieut.. Darlington as to the rea-
sons for the adoption of the course he purs
sued, and which led to the total failure
of the plans for Lieut.. Greeley's relief, the
officers OF the Signal Service have de
clined to express an opinion or make any
statement for publication as present. The
Secretary of War, ihe Assistant Secretary
OF the Navy and the acting chief signal
officer are in consultation on the situation
of affairs, but have not rs yet devised any
practical plan for the relief of the Lady
Franklin bay party