DAVID LEGGE BRAINARD
BRAINARD, DAVID LEGGE, Arctic explorer and United States army officer, was born in Norway, New York, December 21, 1856. He studied at the State normal school, entered the United States army in 1876, served on the frontier under General Miles in the campaigns of 1877-78, and was twice wounded in an engagement with the Sioux Indians. He was a member of the Howgate expedition to the Arctic regions in 1880, and in 1881-84 took part in the Lady Franldin Bay Arctic expedition of which Lieutenant (now General) Greely was commander. With Lieutenant Lockwood he explored Grinnell Land and the northwest coast of Greenland, and on May 13, 1882, made a world's record for the highest point north reached by man, 83° 24' 30". He was one of the seven survivors rescued, June 22, 1884, by the Greely relief expedition in charge of Lieutenant-Commander (now Rear-Admiral) Winfield Scott Schley.
On reaching the United States he was appointed sergeant of the signal service and afterward, "for distinguished and meritorious services" in the Greely Arctic expedition he was commissioned second lieutenant of the United States cavalry. In the winter of 1897-98, he served on the government expedition for the relief of starving miners at Dawson City, Alaska; and in May, 1898, he was appointed chief commissary of the United States military forces in the Philippines. By successive promotions he had reached the rank of colonel, chief commissary department United States volunteers; and on February 12, 1900, he was given the rank of major of the Subsistence Department of the United States army. He is a Fellow of the American Geographical Society. For special services in the line of Arctic exploration he received the Back Grant of the Royal Geographical Society for 1885.
