In 1871, the Polaris sailed with great fanfare from New York harbor and began a historic journey to one of the earth’s final frontiers. Seven months later, a handful of half-starved survivors returned with a story that shocked the entire nation. . . . In the dark, divisive years following the Civil War, America’s foremost Arctic explorer, Charles Francis Hall, became a figure of national pride and renown when he embarked on a harrowing, landmark expedition. With financial backing from Congress and the personal support of President Grant, Captain Hall and his crew boarded the Polaris , a steam schooner carefully refitted for its rigorous journey, and began their quest to be the first men to reach the North Pole. Hall was a veteran of the Arctic and a man of great physical stamina, but all his strength and experience couldn’t combat the conflicts brewing among his officers and crew. Beset by bad luck, a lack of discipline, and an unclear chain of command, the Polaris entered the icy waters off the coast of Greenland. Neither the ship nor its captain would ever return. As the expedition reached its most crucial stage, Hall inexplicably sickened and died. Whispers of murder swept through the ship. Still, the Polaris forged on, only to meet with a further disaster that left half the crew separated from the ship and most of their supplies at the bottom of the ocean. What followed was a horrifying, seven-month ordeal through the heart of an Arctic winter, when men fought starvation, madness, and each other upon the ever-shifting ice. Trial by Ice is an incredible adventure that pits men against the natural elements and their own fragile human nature. Beyond this, it is also an authentic murder mystery that, in its time, led to accusations of foul play and a dramatic, unresolved investigation. Now, more than a century after the crime was committed, the author draws on recent evidence to recount the amazing story of the killer who boarded the Polaris –and got away with murder. In this powerful true story of death and survival, courage and intrigue aboard a doomed ship, Richard Parry chronicles one of the most astonishing, little known tragedies at sea in American history. Although Denmark, England, France, and Norway had already tried and failed, in 1871 the United States decided to finance an expedition to find the North Pole and the Northwest Passage. Charles Francis Hall of Ohio, who was neither a seafarer nor an explorer, convinced President Grant and Congress to send out a vessel and was given a ship, the Polaris, and a crew of 25. The ship was not suitable for ice navigation, and the crew, a mixture of Germans and Americans, was selected by politicians and did not include the men Hall wanted. The expedition was doomed from the start. Beset by jealousies, intrigues, and weak leadership, the crew suffered from exposure, hunger, and the bleak Arctic. Captain Hall was poisoned (it was probably murder), and the ship was lost. The crew split into two parties, one surviving nine months on an ice floe until it was finally rescued by a whaler. Despite an exhaustive inquiry by the U.S. Navy and Congress, no conclusion was reached. Parry (That Fateful Lightning: A Novel of Ulysses S. Grant) has brought the story to light again with this riveting account. For all public and academic libraries.DStanley L. Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, NY Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. In the mid-1800s, a number of countries raced to be the first to reach the North Pole. This incredible but true story relates the ill-fated 1871 Polaris expedition led by Charles Hall, an experienced Arctic explorer who persuaded President Grant and Congress to fund the endeavor. In a classic case of too many cooks spoiling the broth, the expedition was in trouble before it set sail. Hall, the Navy, and the Smithsonian Institute squabbled to appoint members to the expedition according to their own distinct and incongruent priorities, resulting in a group that suffered from disunity and mistrust. Personal enmity and unrelenting egos started undermining the captain's leadership before long. After the captain's suspicious death, the expedition deteriorated further under poor leadership that fostered a dangerous lack of discipline among the men. Parry uses the journals and testimony of the men to relate their conversations and interactions, portraying a vivid picture of the loyalties and personal differences among the members. His extensive research and excellent storytelling skills make this a fascinating and enjoyable read. Gavin Quinn Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Gripping and memorable.” – Rocky Mountain News From the Trade Paperback edition. 1, the Polaris sailed with great fanfare from New York harbor and began a historic journey to one of the earth’s final frontiers. Seven months later, a handful of half-starved survivors returned with a story that shocked the entire nation